A Romanesque Relic
Kilmalkedar Church
Kilmalkedar Church is a medieval church ruin on the Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, with strong Romanesque influences. It is part of a larger early Christian and medieval monastic site that includes ogham stones, a holy well and other religious artifacts.
- Built: 12th century
- Style: Romanesque (influenced by European church architecture)
- Patron: Associated with St. Maolcethair (early Irish saint)
- Material: Local sandstone
- Location: On the Dingle Peninsula, along the pilgrimage route to Mount Brandon
- Current Status: A well-preserved ruin, visited as a historical site
- Early Christian Site – Originally, the site was likely a small monastic settlement dating back to the 6th or 7th century.
- Medieval Parish Church – By the 12th century, it served as a main church for the local Christian community.
- Pilgrimage Stop – It was an important stop for medieval pilgrims traveling to Mount Brandon, a site associated with St. Brendan the Navigator.
- Burial Site – The churchyard has medieval and later graves, including ogham stones with early Christian inscriptions.
- Post-Medieval Decline – It was abandoned after the Reformation when Catholic churches were suppressed.
Cosán na Naomh pilgrims
Caherdorgan
Stone Fort
Caherdorgan Stone Fort is an ancient ringfort (also known as a cashel) located along the Cosán na Naomh pilgrims’ route near Gallarus Oratory. It is one of many early medieval stone forts in the region, believed to have been used as a defensive homestead or tribal stronghold.
- Built: Between the 6th and 10th century AD (early medieval Ireland).
- Type: A circular dry-stone fort, also called a cashel.
- Purpose: Likely used as a defended farmstead for a wealthy family or minor chieftain.
- Material: Constructed using locally-sourced stone, without mortar.
- Current State: Partially ruined but still visible and accessible.
1. Circular Enclosure (Cashel)
- The fort is made of a thick, circular stone wall, enclosing an area where people and livestock lived.
- The walls, built with dry-stone construction, were carefully fitted together without mortar.
- The entrance was likely a narrow, easily defensible doorway.
2. Internal Structures
Inside the stone walls, there are traces of:
- Small stone buildings (likely houses or storage rooms).
- Souterrains (underground passages) used for storage or as escape routes.
3. Defensive Purpose
- The thick walls and elevated position provided protection from raids by rival clans or Vikings.
- The cashel was likely home to an extended family, with warriors, farmers and possibly craftsmen.
