Glanfahan facts for kids
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Gleann Fán
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Beehive hut (clochán)
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 Location in Ireland
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| Alternative name | Fahan | ||||||||||
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| Location | Glenfahan, Dunquin, County Kerry, Ireland |
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| Region | Dingle Peninsula | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 52°06′03″N 10°26′03″W / 52.100713°N 10.434301°W | ||||||||||
| Type | clocháns | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Material | stone | ||||||||||
| Founded | c. 700–1200 | ||||||||||
| Abandoned | 17th–18th century? | ||||||||||
| Cultures | Gaelic Irish | ||||||||||
| Site notes | |||||||||||
| Ownership | State | ||||||||||
| Designation |
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Imagine stepping back in time to a village made entirely of stone! Glanfahan is a very special place in Ireland, located on the Dingle Peninsula. It's famous for having a huge collection of ancient stone huts called clocháns. These amazing structures are so important that they are protected as a National Monument.
Contents
Where is Glanfahan?
Glanfahan is found on the southern side of Mount Eagle. It looks out over the beautiful Dingle Bay. You can find it about 3.1 kilometers (about 2 miles) south of a village called Dunquin.
The History of Glanfahan
It's tricky to know the exact age of the buildings at Glanfahan. This is because the way they were built, using a "drystone technique" (meaning no cement or mortar), has been used in Ireland for thousands of years!
Early Christian Times
Many experts believe these stone huts were built during the early Christian period in Ireland, from the 5th to the 8th centuries AD. This was a time when monasteries were very important. Some think the huts might have been used by monks or pilgrims traveling to famous holy sites like Skellig Michael.
Norman Invasion Era
Other historians think the huts were built later, around the 12th century. This was when the Normans arrived in Ireland. The native Gaelic Irish people were sometimes pushed into remote areas, like the Dingle Peninsula. These stone huts might have been homes for them.
Who Lived Here?
One idea is that the smaller huts were for people who were not free, while the larger stone forts (called cashels) were for free people. Some of these stone forts were lived in until the 18th century!
Discoveries and Damage
In the 19th century, a stone with a cross carved into it and a rotary quern (a tool for grinding grain) were found in an area called Cahermurphy. Sadly, some of these ancient sites were damaged in the 20th century because of changes made for farming.
Recent Excavations
Archaeologists did digs in 2011 and 2012 at a hut called "Clochaun 3." They found some interesting things:
- A sharpening stone
- A hammerstone
- Small pieces of flint and quartz
- Bones from sheep and goats (some with marks from being cut)
- Fish bones and a wrasse tooth, which was sometimes used in amulets (charms)
- Bivalve shells and hazelnut shells
What You Can See at Glanfahan
Glanfahan is truly amazing! There are 417 recorded dry stone buildings here. You can also find 19 souterrains (underground passages or chambers) and 18 standing stones (tall, upright stones).
Many of the clocháns are built in a special way called corbelling. This means each stone sticks out a little further than the one below it, creating a dome shape without needing any support. They form what looks like an abandoned village.
Caherconner
This is an oval-shaped stone fort (cashel) that contains three beehive huts inside it.
Cahermurphy
This is another oval stone fort, about 23 meters (75 feet) across. Inside, you'll find a group of five clocháns that are joined together, plus a sixth hut with an unusual shape.
Caherfadaandoruis
This is a unique group of three joined chambers. They are connected by a long passage, which is about 23 meters (75 feet) long.
Caheradurras
This site features a triple clochán, meaning three huts joined together.
Clochanmore
This is another notable clochán site in the area.
