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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
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Cache is a small tab lock box.Contains log book, pencil.
Special olympic 2003 badge, correction roller,fishing lure,
pocket spirit level in presentation box. Extra ziplock bags.
Cache is not at or beyond the Promomtory Iron age fort,
but below the fort at a clearly visable rocky outcrop.
IT IS NOT ADVISABLE TO CLIMB TO SUMMIT
BEYOND THE CACHE IN POOR WEATHER, CLOUD WILL
COVER THE SUMMIT VERY QUICKLY.
PLEASE EXERCISE COMMON SENSE!!!
DIRECTIONS:
From Tralee take the N86 to Dingle. Beyond Blennerville you have the Sliabh Mis range on your left and Tralee bay with views across the water of Fenit. Continue on the N86 you will pass two pubs Tigh Fitz and Tigh Neills,just beyond these there is a fork in the road, veer to your left. A few hundred metres up the road is a large house on a bad bend. At this house take the small road to the left that passes under the old Dingle Tralee rail line. This road is narrow in places so caution is required,
NOT SUITABLE FOR CAMPER VANS.
There should be a sign post saying "Scenic Route to Inch" you head south into the valley of the Finglas River and through wild hillside country to the southern shore of the peninsula at Aughils. Known as Bóthar na gCloch, the rocky road, it leads through some impressive scenery where the Sliabh Mis mountains tower steeply above to the east, Tralee Bay lives to the north, and Castlemaine Harbour, the Kerry mainland, and the Iveragh Peninsula are spread out to the south. Even on a cloudy day, or when the evening air is thick, the countryside here has a unique and magical splendour.
Your parking place is very obvious, it is at the base Cathair Con Ri. There is space for three cars here, further parking can be had at the top of the very steep hill. (Apology’s on the lack of a way point for the parking, dead batteries I’m afraid)
CACHE:
The cache is hidden behind the large rocky out crop about half way up Cathair Con Ri.
You can see it at the right of the wooden markers that snake up the mountain.The spoiler picture will give you
the general area. Please follow the wooden stakes.
Do not head straight for the out crop. Once you have climbed just beyond the out crop while following the markers turn to your right, this option is easier on your legs and safer. Please return to its hiding spot and replace the stone.
IRON AGE FORT:
The fort is called a Promontory fort, of which there are broadly two types by situation: either cliff-top by the sea, or on a steep mountain spur. Ireland has a number of ancient forts which were created by building defences across a spur of land jutting out to sea. This method reduced the work of building defences by about 75%, as an approach could only be made by land. An inland variation
of this technique used precipices rather than sea-cliffs as the natural defences.
Dating of these structures is difficult, but they are believed to date to the Iron Age, which in Ireland was about 500BC to 500AD. Even more difficult is the determination of the precise function of these 'forts'. It is possible that the largest structures were a focus for ceremony rather than defence. As with many large forts, Hill Top or Promontory they can be seen as the seat of power, and status of a chiefdom, also as a tribal boundary. Curiously enough a tribal boundary seems to hold sway here. The fort is in the townland of Beheenagh which occupies a commanding position, at a height of 2,050 feet (625 metres), above Bóthar na gCloch and the Finglas Valley. It stands at a physical frontier, where the Sliabh Mis range ends, a frontier between the peninsula and the mainland, between east and west; it stands also on the boundary between the baronies of Corca Dhuibhne and Truich an Aicme thus marking an ancient tribal boundary.
Myth & Legend
Well where would the Iron age be with out it’s Celtic hero’s and saga’s.
It is said that this was the fortress of Cú Raoi Mac Daire and it features in the "Red Branch" sagas of the Ulster heroes. A respected tribal chief and demi-god, perhaps even the sun-god of the Belgae, others say he was the leader for the Fir Bolg. Cú Raoi possessed many magical powers: he could adopt many forms, often terrifying to his enemies, and even when absent he could defend the fort at night by setting it spinning. In one story, the three champions of Ulster – the legendary Cúchulainn, Conall and Laegaire – resorted to him to resolve their dispute as to which of them was worthiest. They were instructed to take turns in guarding Cathair Con Ri, and there Cú Raoi attacked each of them in the form of demons. Conall and Laegaire were pitched over the wall by the monsters; but Cúchulainn stood his ground. However, he thought that the other two had jumped the wall as proof of their prowess, and decided to emulate them; he succeeded in an epic leap, but only just.
Cú Raoi finally met his end at Cathair Con Ri and at the hands of Cuchulainn. They fought over a woman, Blathnaid, the daughter of a Manx chieftain who Cuchulainn had attacked. Cú Raoi had shown the raiders how to capture the heavily defended Manx fort on condition that he had first pick of the treasure. He picked Blathnaid, but Cuchulainn refused to let her go. An angry Cú Raoi took all the treasure for himself and headed back to Cathair Con Ri, but not before defeating Cuchulainn at Cashel, where he buried him up to his armpits, shaved his head and rubbed cow-dung into it. Shaving of the head was considered the worst insult you could inflict on a warrior. A year later Cuchulainn met with Blathnaid at the Finglas River where they plotted to kill Cú Raoi . When she deemed it safe to attack Blathnaid poured milk into the river that has its source at the fort, and upon seeing the water turn white Cuchulainn and his men began the long climb to the fortress. Blathnaid had also arranged for most of the defenders to be out looking for stone to make Cathair Con Ri the most magnificent fortress in Ireland. During the fighting Cuchulainn killed both Cú Raoi and his son. The fortress was burned and Cuchulainn headed back to Ulster with Blathnaid. However there was to be no happy ending to this story. Feircheirtne, Curoi’s old druid, had travelled with the party to Ulster. As Cuchulainn talked to Conor, the Ulster King on a cliff ,Feircheirtne grabbed Blathnaid in his arms and jumped off the cliff, killing both of them on the rocks below.
After you log your find, please do take time to take in the magnificent views and do visit the fort.
Only don’t try to emulate Cúchulainn’s epic leap.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)