Dunbeg Fort

Welcome to Dunbeg Fort, or 'An Dún Beag,' perched precariously on the dramatic southern coast of the Dingle Peninsula. As you stand here, with the Atlantic Ocean crashing hundreds of feet below against the jagged cliffs, you are…

As you approach the stone entrance of the fort, you first have to navigate a series of concentric earthen ramparts and deep ditches. These are the outer skin of Dunbeg’s defenses. …

Now we arrive at the most impressive architectural feature of Dunbeg: the massive dry-stone wall and its sophisticated gatehouse. The wall is over three meters thick in places, built without a single drop of mortar. …

Once inside the main wall, you enter the living quarters of the fort. The most prominent feature here is the remains of a large 'Clochan,' or beehive-shaped stone hut. …

One of the most intriguing features of Dunbeg is the souterrain, an underground passage that runs from the interior of the fort, beneath the main wall, and out toward the defensive ditches. Souterrains are common in Irish forts…

As you walk toward the seaward side of the fort, you are confronted with the reality of Dunbeg’s slow demise. The cliff edge here is sheer, dropping directly into the churning Atlantic. …

From the highest point of the fort's interior, the view is one of the finest in Ireland. To the east, the long, sweeping curve of Ventry Bay spreads out, its golden sands a stark contrast to the dark rocks of the Dingle coast. …

As you walk back through the concentric ramparts and leave the stone world of Dunbeg behind, take one last look at the silhouette of the fort against the Atlantic. You have visited a place that exists on the razor's edge of…