Staigue or Staig (Irish: an Stéig or Caiseal Stéig) is a ruined stone ringfort three miles west of Sneem, on the Iveragh peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The fort is thought to have been built during the late Iron Age, probably somewhere between 300 and 400 AD, as a defensive stronghold for a local lord or king.[1]
Staigue
It is at the head of a valley opening south to the sea, surrounded by a ditch over 8m wide and at present 1.8m deep.[2] The fort's walls are up to 5.5 m (18 ft) high in places, 4 m (13 ft) thick at the bottom and 27.4 m (90 ft) in diameter. The inside is reached through a 1.8m passage roofed with double lintels. Staigue represents a considerable feat in engineering and building. It was built without mortar, using undressed stones.[1] Vertical joints visible in the wall show that gaps were left during the building of the wall to allow access and were filled in later. There is also a tapered, lintelled doorway. Inside is an elaborate network of stairways leading to terraces and corbelled cells in the wall reached by passages.[2]
There is evidence that copper was excavated in the surrounding area and it appears to be a place of worship, an observatory and a place of defence.[1]
Referencesedit
^ abcNoonan, Damien (2001). "Castles & Ancient Monuments of Ireland", Arum Press. ISBN1-85410-752-6
^ abWeir, A (1980). Early Ireland. A Field Guide. Belfast: Blackstaff Press. p. 164.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Staigue stone fort.
Staigue Fort: the best ringfort on the Ring of Kerry?, Foras Feasa: Exploring Irish History
staigue, stone, fort, staigue, staig, irish, stéig, caiseal, stéig, ruined, stone, ringfort, three, miles, west, sneem, iveragh, peninsula, county, kerry, ireland, fort, thought, have, been, built, during, late, iron, probably, somewhere, between, defensive, s. Staigue or Staig Irish an Steig or Caiseal Steig is a ruined stone ringfort three miles west of Sneem on the Iveragh peninsula in County Kerry Ireland The fort is thought to have been built during the late Iron Age probably somewhere between 300 and 400 AD as a defensive stronghold for a local lord or king 1 StaigueIt is at the head of a valley opening south to the sea surrounded by a ditch over 8m wide and at present 1 8m deep 2 The fort s walls are up to 5 5 m 18 ft high in places 4 m 13 ft thick at the bottom and 27 4 m 90 ft in diameter The inside is reached through a 1 8m passage roofed with double lintels Staigue represents a considerable feat in engineering and building It was built without mortar using undressed stones 1 Vertical joints visible in the wall show that gaps were left during the building of the wall to allow access and were filled in later There is also a tapered lintelled doorway Inside is an elaborate network of stairways leading to terraces and corbelled cells in the wall reached by passages 2 There is evidence that copper was excavated in the surrounding area and it appears to be a place of worship an observatory and a place of defence 1 References edit a b c Noonan Damien 2001 Castles amp Ancient Monuments of Ireland Arum Press ISBN 1 85410 752 6 a b Weir A 1980 Early Ireland A Field Guide Belfast Blackstaff Press p 164 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Staigue stone fort Staigue Fort the best ringfort on the Ring of Kerry Foras Feasa Exploring Irish History 51 48 19 N 10 00 57 W 51 80528 N 10 01583 W 51 80528 10 01583 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Staigue stone fort amp oldid 1188371184, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
