Welcome to Carnhalla, a magical sanctuary where visitors can discover Ireland's mythic past and the beauty of its natural landscape and ancient woodlands as they ramble through its two miles of scenic trails dotted with with over twenty sites of archaeological note, while admiring its unique flora and fauna, on an organically managed farm.
Introduction
Researched and written by Dr. Laurence Dunne, Archaeologist and Dr. Marie O'Dowd, Department of Archeology U.C.C.
Carnahalla situated in Cappawhite, Co Tippeary is a wonderful archaeological landscape exhibiting evidence of settlement stretching back possibly from 6000 years to more modern history. The sympathetic and traditionally organic manner in which farming has taken place, combined with the multivariate natural physical beauty of Carnahalla’s cultural ambience in which the relict archaeological monuments can be viewed and appreciated. The land management and planting undertaken by Lord Lismore and the Butler's of Ormond (now fully matured), has, in many places throughout the property, accidently recreated a landscape that would not have been much different a thousand years ago when the ringfort in Carnahalla (T.1050-006) was occupied. Archaeological and literary sources portray a land of rolling pasture and cattle based economy. As an indicator of this cattle based economy, virtually all Irish manuscripts are made with vellum(calf-skin).
Interesting Features
The ringfort on top of the eminence is masked by the mature tree cover which created a wonderful hidden mystique and atmosphere. The appreciation of one monument, although spatially close but separated by thousands of years, does not detract from the other. The overall location and setting should not be separated from the individual monuments, indeed the opposite is the case. It is rare that monuments can be appreciated and better understood within a meaningful landscape and cultural setting.
