2004:0753 - GLANBANE, Kerry

This excavation was undertaken on the section of a ‘ringfort’, Lisdarrig, located within the CPO line involved in the realignment of the N22 between Gortatlea and Farranfore, Co. Kerry. Thirty-eight metres of an enclosing ditch which composed part of the west and south-west sections of the ringfort were excavated.

A splayed entrance, consisting of a causeway across the ditch, was recorded on the western side, facing west-north-west. Internally, at its narrowest, the entrance measured 2.2m and this expanded to 4m wide externally.

To the north of the entrance only a short length of the ditch was excavated as it was located close to the CPO line. Externally the length of ditch exposed measured 7m while internally only 2.8m were revealed. The terminal itself was relatively straight, not curved, and sloped steeply. The profile of the ditch was U-shaped and the east side was sloped, while the west side was stepped and the base was almost flat. This section of the ditch was 2.6m wide and 1.2m deep and had four fills. There were no additional features in this area of the ditch and no artefacts were recorded.

The southern terminal was similar in form to the northern one and had a straight, steeply sloping side with sharp rather than rounded corners. The exposed ditch in this area measured 34m in length; it was 2.65m wide at the top, 0.45m wide at the base and was 1–1.3m deep, getting notably shallower as it extended south-eastwards. Generally the fills were the same as those in the northern terminal. The ditch was also similar in profile to the northern section; it was U-shaped with sloped sides and rounded base.

From the entrance the first c. 14m of the ditch was in line with the northern terminal, orientated north-north-west/south-south-east. At this point there was a bend in the ditch which then extended for a further 20m in a south-easterly direction and beyond the limit of the excavation and CPO line.

It would seem from the evidence that this enclosure may not have been a ringfort, as it had straight sides and an entrance facing west-northwest. However, a 14C date from suitable charcoal in a sealed context at the base of the ditch achieved a date of 760±40 BP, cal. AD 1230 to 1300 (Beta 200763).