Fahan Clochans on the slopes of Mount Eagle, Dingle Peninsula, Kerry, Ireland

A Clochan is drystone hut with a corbelled roof, dating from the early middle ages. They are most commonly round ('beehive huts), but rectangular plans are known as well. Most experts think that these are later in date. Some Clochans are not completely built of stone, but seem to have possessed a thatched roof. The walls are very thick, up to 1,5 m. Sometimes several clochans are joined together by their walls. Ireland, Dingle Peninsula, prehistoric houses, 1978 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Ireland, Dingle Peninsula, prehistoric houses, 1978 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Clochans are mainly found in the Southwest of Ireland, for example at Skellig Michael, Church Island off Beginish Island and Reask (County Kerry, Dingle Peninsula). Many occur in religious contexts, but there are others in ringforts (like Leacanbuaile, Co. Kerry) that are commonly interpreted as secular dwellings. Elaborate dry walled stone churches like the St. Gallarus Oratory may derive from Clochans. Skellig Michael (from Sceilig Mhichíl in the Irish language, meaning Michaels rock), also known as Great Skellig, is one of the better known but least accessible mediaeval monasteries, built in 588 on a steep rocky island about 12 kilometres off the coast of County Kerry, Ireland. ... County Kerry (Irish: Ciarraí) is a county in the southwest of Ireland, in the Munster province of the Republic of Ireland, informally referred to as The Kingdom. ... Categories: Ireland-place stubs | Peninsulas of Ireland | County Kerry ... Ringforts are fortified settlements that are typical of the 5th and 6th century AD in Ireland. ... The Gallarus Oratory is believed to be an early Christian church located on the Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland. ...

This kind of houses have been described in the 7./8th century law Críth Gablach.

Further reading

• Nancy Edwards, The archaeology of early medieval Ireland (London, Batsford 1990).