This is one of the largest and finest stone forts in Ireland and was probably built in th early centuries AD before Christianity came to Ireland. It must have been in the home of a very wealthy landowner or chieftain who had a great need for security.
A wall up to six metres high and four metres thick – built entirely without mortar – encloses an area thirty metres in diameter. Several near-vertical masonry joints are visible in the wall, and these may indicate that the fort was built in stages rather than in one continuous operation. The fort was entered through a narrow, lintel-covered passage in the wall.
The fort was home of the chieftain’s family, guards and servants, and would have been full of houses, out-buildings, and possibly tents or other temporary structures. No buildings survive today, though two small chambers are contained within the wall. The top of the wall was reached by a series of steps which criss-crossed against the inside of the wall. An earthen bank and ditch around the fort gave further protection.
Location / Getting to Staigue Fort
Staigue Fort is located near the village of Castlecove, on a Cul de Sac (dead end) about 4km off the N70 (Ring of Kerry), west of Kenmare.
