From the ground, you may not think there was anything of any
importance here near Knockavilla in West Cork. However, as you can
see from the aerial shot above (OSI Website), you can clearly see
the outline of a large hillfort.
A team of archeologists from UCC on an extensive survey and
excavation of the 169-metre high site over a three year period
unearthed the oldest hilltop fort in Ireland. The team is currently
writing up its report which they hope will help persuade the
government to declare it a national monument.
Built around 1200 BC, more than 2,200 years before the Vikings
started building settlements in Cork City, and at the same time
Ramesses III was the Pharoh in Egypt.
The site of the hillfort in the townland of Clashanimud gave it
commanding views as far away as the Galtees and the Boggeraghs to
the North, the Sheha Mountains to the South West and to the Paps
and the Reeks to the West. The hilltop fort defences included an
outer enclosure measuring 1.02km in perimeter and surrounded by a
stone faced field bank which was topped with a wattle palisade and
an inner 0.8km enclosure, comprising an earthen and stone bank
topped with a heavy oak palisade. The original hillfort entrances
were located on the western side of the hillfort, where a gated
passageway was found in the palisaded bank of the inner enclosure.
About 380 massive main tibmer posts were used within the inner
inclosure, and in between smaller timbers were used to create
palisade - about 3000+ timbers on the inner alone.
There were nearly two kilometres of defensive enclosures.
Meaning it was almost certainly a big collaborative effort, the
scale of the building was way beyond the ability of just a few
people. It must have been built under a centralised political
demand, which may have controlled most, if not all, of Cork.
Arguably, this was Cork’s first capital, but excavations
reveal evidence of deliberate burning of the inner palisade fence
shortly after the hillfort was built and this appears to have been
a deliberate act of war and it was never re-built or occupied after
its destruction. The late Bronze Age period in Ireland was a period
of great political turmoil and endemic warfare, marked by the
emergence of chiefdom societies whose territories centred on
hilltop forts located in rich agricultural lands. There were no
professional standing armies in late Bronze Age Ireland.
Essentially it would have been built and defended by people who
were farmers for most of the year, but who owed loyalty to their
chieftain.
Sources: Irish Examiner (21 August 2007), The Southern Star
(1 September 2007)
There is parking at the side of the road, and you should see the
obvious start to the walk.
Please note that the pathway, although obvious, it can be muddy,
and there are some thorns etc along the way. You will not, and
should not, make a new trail to get to the cache, there is a path
all the way.
There are 4 waypoints attached with this cache
The First marks the start of the path from the roadway to the top
of the hillfort, and eventually to the cache location.
The Second marks the highest point of the hillfort, as you can see
(on a clear day) there are fantastic views in all directions
The Third marks where the entrance would have been. A number of
wooden posts have been erected to give a feel for what this place
would have looked like
The Final waypoint marks where you should enter the forestry
section to find the cache.
Please stick to the obvious tracks.
Please Do Not Take A Geocoin or Travelbug Unless You Will
Log It On The Geocaching Website!!
Please replace cache appropriately. Thank You