TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
RUNNING IN CIRCLES
Guided by a West Cork walking trails book Fiona left for us, we were off to Knockdrum National Monument, a circular stone fort that sits high on a hilltop. It is located about ten kilometers from Union Hall. We parked in a Church parking lot, and walked on a paved road to the trail.
Along the way, we passed a home with what appeared to be ancient stones placed on the lawn as decoration. It wasn’t the first time we’d seen this. From a Canadian or the US perspective, this would be considered plundering of historic artifacts, but it appears acceptable here. Perhaps because the “artifacts” belong to the local’s ancestors.
ANOTHER SIGN HIDDEN FROM VIEW
Following a bend in the road, and up a slight rise, a tiny sign, Knockdrum National Monument, hides nestled in a tree. A magical, narrow path lined by high, light green grasses and small shrubs on one side, and a low stone wall on the other, follows the edge of a sloping hill.
The path ends at the bottom of over 100, crooked and cracked stairs that seemed to take us to the top of the world. Out of breath from the climb, we looked with awe at the sweeping views of rolling hills and valleys, ocean and islands, cliffs and lakes. The fresh, green air with a hint of the sea filled our tired lungs.
A farmer’s motor could be heard nearby, and we saw that he was clearing the land. It was possible he was moving stones from one of the three other double stone circles up near Knockdrum, making a choice between preserving history and farming.
THE STONE FORT
The stone fort is about 1.5 meters high and 26 meters wide. The soggy earth with patches of grass and wet dirt inside and the second ring (which is more of a square than circle) are lumpy and irregular. One or two caverns seemed to be hidden underground. We were shocked by how well preserved the site is, given that it is 3,000 to 4,000 years old. In fact, we would learn, it is a replica of sorts…reconstructed in the 1930s when it became a national historic site.
We played with Saffi, running circle, and then spinning like Maria in The Sound of Music. Chloe and I fell into the grass and talked about what it must have been like hiding from marauders, guessing at what the people did when it rained.
I wanted to feel the earth speaking to me, like I’d felt at the Acropolis in Athens, but I didn’t. Maybe it was because I was with Chloe and Saffi, or maybe because we could hear the man’s tractor clearing rocks.
