Hut site, Derrynafeana, Co. Kerry

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Settlement Sites

Hut site, Derrynafeana, Co. Kerry

On a north-facing slope in the rough hill pasture of Derrynafeana, in south-west Kerry, the outline of a small oval structure survives in the form of a collapsed drystone wall, its stones tumbled but still tracing the shape of the building that once stood here.

The structure measures roughly 5.5 metres across, and the wall, where it can still be made out, was originally around 0.7 metres wide and now stands no more than 0.4 metres high. It sits on top of a low platform, a slight levelling of the hillside that would have been prepared or chosen deliberately to create a stable base on uneven ground.

Hut sites of this kind are scattered across Kerry's upland landscapes, the physical traces of seasonal or permanent occupation by people who built in stone without mortar, a technique known as drystone construction, relying entirely on the careful placement of one stone against another for structural integrity. The oval plan is a common form among early Irish vernacular structures, and while this particular site has not been closely dated, such remains in Kerry generally span a broad period from prehistoric times through to the medieval era. The north-facing aspect is notable; most builders preferred southerly orientations for shelter and warmth, so the siting here may reflect the particular lie of the land, the location of grazing, or other practical pressures that mattered more to whoever built it than the direction of the sun.

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Pete F
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