LEACANABUILE FORT
Leaca na Buaile, the slope of the Booley-summer cow pasture
Cahersiveen, Ring of Kerry, County Kerry

Leacanabuile Stone Fort is a circular stone enclosure, also called a ring fort, built during the 9th or 10th century. This type of structure was common in the Iron Age, 700BC-500AD, and was used as homes for wealthy clan rulers. It's unknown why this fort was constructed so late in history, but it was used as a protected farmstead for a wealthy farmer.

This fort has walls more than three meters thick, about ten feet, and built from locally quarried stone in a dry mortar method...the stones were hand formed to

abut tightly against each other without the use of traditional mortar or other sealant. The thickness of the wall protected those within from attack.

Steps on the inside of the fort gave access to the top of the structure to view the countryside.

There are also the remains of the foundation of a roundhouse in the center of the fort, and within the foundations is an entrance to a souterrain, or underground passage, which leads to an opening in the main structure's wall.

Excavations in and around the fort have uncovered iron knives and whetstones, pins and bone hair combs, quern and mills stones for grinding grain into flour.

~ Free attraction
~ Free car parking available
~ Moderate access, short walk up a small hill
~ This is a complete ruin with no on-sight guardian - take care when wandering