Cahergal & Leacanabuaile Stone Forts, Cahirciveen, Co. Kerry

The Stone forts of Cahergal & Leacanabuaile are located in an area know as "over the water" by the locals in Cahirciveen. Please see our interactive sights map for specific location and directions. If you prefer the more traditional approach, find the old barracks in Cahirciveen, located down by the waters edge, with the barracks on your right hand side continue over the bridge immediately ahead, at the next crossroads take a left and follow the signposts for the forts, they are located approximately two miles on the left (head in the direction of Ballycarberry castle). Also well worth visiting in this area is Ballycarberry Castle

Cahergal Stone Fort

A few hundred meters on from Ballycarbery Castle is the stone fort of Cahergal. It is well worth a visit. The current structure has undergone some reconstruction and while the purist may say it is too “clean and pure” it is an impressive site. With walls approx 6 m high and some 3 m thick this dry stone wall fort is one of the best examples of an early medieval stone forts to be found on the ring of Kerry.

Leacanabuaile Stone Fort

The stone fort of Leacanabuaile blends so naturally into its surroundings it is quiet difficult to find. It is located a few hundred meters from Cahergal stone fort on the hillside. It is a fine, partly-reconstructed stone fort on a massive rock foundation, its stone walls enclosing an almost circular area 70 feet in diameter. Protected on three sides by steep grassy slopes, the entrance is on the eastern side. The walls, mostly 10 feet thick and with irregular steps leading up on the inside, contain the remnants of a square dwelling house built on top of earlier circular ones; another clochan on the western side has a cavity leading to a long souterrain. Excavation produced Iron and Bronze Age objects, suggesting the existence of an early Christian farming community.