County: Kerry Site name: CAHERGAL, Kimego West
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 79:24 Licence number: —
Author: Conleth Manning, Office of Public Works
Site type: Ringfort- cashel
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 444683m, N 580560m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.955418, -10.259820
A two-week long excavation was undertaken on the ruined central circular structure within this fine stone fort prior to conservation. The structure was found to average 6.7m in internal diameter with walls 1.65m thick and opposing doorways.
A secondary straight wall was found along the north-east side built on top of a layer of stones collapsed from the wall on this side. It has a paved entrance at the south-east end flanked with upright stones and partly overlying an earlier doorway. The few finds uncovered included quern fragments, scraps of sheet bronze, iron slag and tuyere fragments.
A further season will be necessary to excavate the primary occupation deposit within the structure.
