Cahervagliair Fort

Cahervagliair (also Cahervagliar) in the townland of Coppeen West (also Cappeen West , Irish Caipín Thiar ), not far from the junction of R585 and R588 (roads) in County Cork in Ireland is a historical site of high archaeological importance. The double walled complex is one of the most important residences of the mythical Cineál (gender / family) Laoghaire (English King Lear # literary originals and cultural references ). It is believed that the name Cahervagliar comes from Irish Cathair Mhac Laoghaire ("Fort of the son of Laoghaire"). Caher is the Anglicized form of the Irish word " cathair " (which in some regions of the island means Dun or Steinfort).

Cahervagliar has an inner diameter of 42 m and a total of 75 m in diameter with two outer walls and ditches. The inner wall made of earth and stone (hence neither Dun nor Rath ) has a dry stone entrance in the northeast . This is about seven meters deep and in the slightly trapezoidal cross-section about two meters high and wide and has a huge fall . Admission is the main attraction and "The Journal of Irish Archeology" notes:

Inside, on the left side, there is a horseshoe-shaped pile of stones that could have been a destroyed clochán .

The fort is linked through local folklore to the High King Brian Boru , a historical Irish figure who is believed to have been held hostage here between the ages of 8 and 16. Because of its size and imposing access masonry, Cahirvagliair must have been built by someone of importance and may even have been a royal residence.

The fort was placed under state protection in 1915 but is in poor condition. The moats and ramparts that were restored in 1983 and 1984 are in parts, almost non-existent.

The stone circles

There are six stone circles within a two mile radius in and around Coppeen . This rarity may have something to do with the River Bride that flows through the "Beal na Blath". Bride has meaning as the name is derived from the pagan goddess Brigid , who symbolizes fertility. In this area you come across so-called five stone circles ( Recumbent Stone Circle ) and those with more stones.

literature

Peter Harbison : Guide to the Naional Monuments in the Republic of Ireland Gill and Macmillan, Dublin 1992 ISBN 0-7171-1956-4 p. 52

Individual evidence

↑ “It is difficult to find a parallel for this entrance in an earthen ringfort but lintelled entrances do occur in stone forts. Generally these entrances are different from Cahirvagliair in that the gate would not be part of a projecting structure, the stones would not normally be dressed and the passage would not be as long ".

Web links

51.793085 -8.997066Coordinates: 51 ° 47'35.1 " N , 8 ° 59'49.4" W.

[1] “It is difficult to find a parallel for this entrance in an earthen ringfort but lintelled entrances do occur in stone forts. Generally these entrances are different from Cahirvagliair in that the gate would not be part of a projecting structure, the stones would not normally be dressed and the passage would not be as long ".