• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Wytchery: A Gothic Cabinet of Curiosities and Mysteries

Wytchery: A Gothic Cabinet of Curiosities and Mysteries

A collection of gothic horror stories, urban legends, ghosts, haunted houses & other curiosities

  • Curiosity Cabinet
    • Journal
    • The Witch’s Gardener
      • A Grimoire
      • Plants
      • What’s blooming?
    • Pagans & Witches
    • Gothic Horror
    • Real Ghost Stories
    • History
      • Daily Life
      • Towns and Villages
      • sites
      • Events and Celebrations
      • Issues
  • Travels
  • Author
  • Hello
  • Shop
    • Shirts & Hoodies
    • Mugs
    • Books
    • Art Prints
  • Cart
  • Show Search
Hide Search
View from the interior of Dunbeg Fort, with Mount Eagle in the background

Dunbeg Fort on Ireland’s Dingle Peninsula: Saved for centuries by local folklore, slowly being reclaimed by the Atlantic Ocean

Tweet
Share5
5 Shares
View from the interior of Dunbeg Fort, with Mount Eagle in the background
View from the interior of Dunbeg Fort, with Mount Eagle in the background

On the edge of Europe, along the coast of Dingle Peninsula, Dunbeg Fort is a promontory fort, not far from Dingle town towards Slea Head. Known in Gaelic as An Dún Beag, it was protected by sheer cliffs on three sides, falling into the Atlantic nearly a hundred feet below. Begun as a defensive earthen embankment sometime around 8BCE, it was in use at least till the eleventh century AD. Dunbeg is considered part of the Fahan group, a loose grouping of prehistoric sites on the Dingle Peninsula.

Though much of the structure has fallen into the Atlantic over the past millennium, it’s thought that local folklore has helped to preserve what remained, Locals believe that Dunbeg and places like it are the home of the dead, who frequently return, particularly at night, So to interfere with the remains is to court disaster, not mention, downright disrespectful,

In front of the stone wall lay four ditches, all of which could be defended. If the attackers reached the wall, they found themselves in a ditch several meters below ground level. Most of the wall is eight to eleven feet thick, though at the entrance it reaches twenty two feet in thickness.

The Atlantic Ocean from atop the cliffs of Dunbeg Fort

Within the walls there were several drystone huts or clocháns, for living quarters. Though round on the outside, the interior was square. Sharing the same behave structure as others nearby on the Dingle Peninsula, these differed in that the roofs were open and likely thatched. Refuse from the occupants is basically nonexistent, because they had no need for pits, with the ocean nearby.

Storm Eleanor in 2017 wreaked further havoc on the site, forcing its closure once more, and leaving in doubt whether it can ever be safely reopened. In the latest storm, more of the structure fell into the sea and the stone doorway collapsed.

The danger of a promontory fort of course, is if the attackers breach the inner wall, there’s usually no place to run, with the sea on the three sides of you. The builders of Dunbeg solved this problem with an underground passage which emptied out beyond the outer walls, and was hidden from view.

Dunbeg means “little fort,” believed to be named that as the big fort lay further out on the peninsula, now lost due to a farmer who didn’t believe the folklore.

View of Dunbeg fort looking towards the Atlantic
View of Dunbeg looking towards the Atlantic

 

You might find these interesting

  • One of Ireland's most popular postcard views, but to the initiated, the Cliffs of Insanity

    The Cliffs of Moher in county Clare, Ireland are certainly breathtaking. Stretching on for five…

  • One of Ireland's most popular postcard views, but to the initiated, the Cliffs of Insanity

    The Cliffs of Moher in county Clare, Ireland are certainly breathtaking. Stretching on for five…

  • Praying for mercy from the sea and finding none in the abandoned village of Port, in Ireland

    The village of Port County Donegal, in the northwest corner of Ireland is known for…

  • Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg

    Civil War Battlefields: Confederate Officer Leads His Men in Pickett's Charge. North Carolina Memorial, Gettysburg…

Tweet
Share5
5 Shares

January 30, 2018 By Todd Atteberry Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Ireland

About the author and artist

The haunted, macabre, the downright peculiar ….the curiously gothic world of Todd Atteberry

 

Gothic horror stories, haunted travelogues, a healthy dose of witchcraft, paganism, stone circles and ancient trackways.

Meet Todd

The Witch’s Gardener …

A look at witch’s garden plants, ideas, resources, moon gardens, folklore, herbalism and life with the witch’s gardener.

Enter The Garden

Gothic Travels …

Haunted travelogues, where to visit, where to stay, the history and truth behind the legends

Explore

Memento Mori

Remember you are mortal. T-shirts, hoodies and gaiters, Premium fabrics and fit, eco friendly and ethically sourced.
Wear Memento Mori

Visit the shop …

Offering Wyrd and Wanton T-Shirts, Long Sleeve Tees and Hoodies, Books and Fine Art Prints … Literary love tokens for children of the night.


Lets go shopping!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Discover more

Haunted Travels A witch's garden Get Connected

Footer

Copyright © 2021

Keep In Touch

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Thank you for visiting

Want curiosities in your inbox?

Sign up to receive emails from A Gothic Curiosity Cabinet.