In my mind, ringforts are pretty as peculiar as round towers. They are features that belong to the Irish landscapes, especially in the South West of Ireland.

Can you imagine what a ringfort is?

Ringforts are circular fortified settlements which date back to the Bronze Age up to 1000 AD.

Probably built as homesteads and made of stones, these ringforts were called cashels. They were often enclosed by a stone wall, with stone huts in the interior.

County Kerry is very rich in History and Heritage and boasts several beautiful ringforts. Most of them are well-known tourist destinations, but some are located in secluded locations and are less popular among holidaymakers. Still, they are spectacular!

I visited two of them: Cahergal and Leacanabuaile Ringforts located off the busy Ring of Kerry. They lay just northeast of Valencia Island, near the village of Cahersiveen.

From the little car park, two short paths lead to the ringforts: the right one to Cahergal and the straight one to Leacanabuaile.

I was impressed by both of them. I have studied ringforts in History school books, but I was unprepared for their massive and striking structure and walls so thick and solid.

Cahergal is an imponent fort. Its high walls stand up to 6 metres and are 3 metres thick. The diameter is over 26m.

It is uncertain when it was constructed, but it is believed to date from the early medieval period.

As I entered it, I felt wrapped up by the impenetrable walls; a sense of protection still pervaded the entire settlement.

The remains of a circular drystone house stand right in the middle of the ringfort. Probably it was the house of the clan’s chief.

It is thought that the ringfort was home to the important family Ua Failbe ( Falvey), one of the key dynastic lineages of this area in the Early medieval time.

I didn’t expect to be able to climb the flights of steps up to the grassy edge of the walls and walk the entire circumference.

From there, I could take in the stunning Irish countryside: the gentle hills, the silver sea far away and the grassy fields.

It was so relaxing and peaceful, I could hear only the wind and the bleat of the sheep.

A ten minutes walk led me to Leacanabuaile

It is a little bigger but less imponent. Its walls stand at 3 m high and are 3m thick, its diameter is approximately 30m.

It jealously guarded the ruins of four stone domestic houses and ancillary buildings along with a souterrain and was built around the ninth-tenth century.

To me, they are a sort of twins, so close to each other and visible from each other’s top.

They look like precious Celtic brooches that enrich the green mantle of the surrounding landscape.

Dark clouds triggered a sense of mystery in me.

Why did they build two ringforts so close? Did they live in the same span of time? Did they know each other? Were they friends or enemies?

I stopped and held my breath slowly.

Looking at the serene landscape, I believe they shared the same span of time and lived peacefully together making the most of this sweet land.

I imagine them minding their herds, dying their clothes, talking and laughing in peace.

But maybe it is only a dream, very likely their past was not different from the grim present time. They had to protect themselves from attacks and violence, they were enemies and fought for their future.

Going back to the car park I said to myself the experience was really worthwhile for what I saw and for what I dreamt.