Enclosure, Uragh, Co. Kerry

Co. Kerry |

Enclosures

Enclosure, Uragh, Co. Kerry

On a rough, north-east-facing slope above Lough Inchiquin in south-west Kerry, a small rectangular enclosure sits in the hill pasture, its drystone walls now largely collapsed but still legible enough to read as a deliberate human arrangement.

What makes it quietly odd is the internal division: a wall running north to south splits the interior into two unequal compartments, the larger to the west at roughly 4.7 metres wide, the smaller to the east at around 3.3 metres. The entrance, just 0.65 metres across, is set off-centre in the south wall, immediately west of that dividing partition, so that anyone stepping through would turn naturally into the larger space rather than face the dividing wall head-on.

The enclosure measures 8 metres east to west and 6.4 metres north to south, defined by a collapsed drystone wall that once stood to around 1.5 metres and was about 0.65 metres thick. Drystone construction, in which stones are laid without mortar and rely on careful fitting and their own weight for stability, was used across Ireland for millennia, from prehistoric field systems through to early medieval settlement enclosures and beyond. Here, the builders worked with what the hillside offered: natural rock outcrops are incorporated into the base of the wall along its southern and western sides, reducing the amount of stone that needed to be gathered and giving those sections a particularly organic, almost geological quality. The function of such a small, two-roomed enclosure is not certain. Possibilities range from a sheltered pen for animals to a modest agricultural or domestic structure, though the notes do not specify any particular period or use.

Rated 0 out of 5

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete F
Pete F
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Enclosure, Uragh, Co. Kerry. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 100 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Advertisement