These are known as fairy forts, structures found across Ireland that stand as a testament to the endurance of Celtic mythology. As recently as 2017, fairy forts were blamed for damage caused to a local road. Danny Healy Rae, a member of the Irish Parliament, commented that “There are numerous fairy forts in that area… I know that they are linked. Anyone that tampered with them back over the years paid a high price and had bad luck.” Fairy forts also reportedly crashed the Irish economy in the 00’s after the government built a road that ran directly over several of them.

The structures are usually in the shape of a raised circle indented with bushes and trees. Folk tales say that it’s in fairy forts where all sorts of supernatural happenings go down – faeries, leprechauns, various kinds of spirits from the “other world” are said to call these forts their home, and they don’t appreciate people coming in and wrecking the place – if anyone’s foolish enough to do such a thing, the spirits will seek their revenge.

Many people over the years have been said to have died under unknown circumstances after having destroyed these hills, others reportedly suffered through years of bad luck after perturbing the spirits’ resting place. There are plenty of stories that have been passed down through generations when it comes to these places.

Archaeological evidence tells us that these fairy forts were most likely places where clans or extended families lived. The structures were built circular to allow the residents to keep a panoramic view of their surroundings, important for repelling invasions. Along the perimeter of the fort would be a stone wall or fence, and inside would be the homes of the clans/families. There was also a section for the domesticated animals to live.

Little evidence remains from the houses themselves, as they were mostly built from wood which has long since returned to Nature.

A benefit of the myths and legends surround fairy forts is that people, especially farmers who are more likely to clear the area for crops, are hesitant to destroy the structures for fear of the retribution they’ll suffer. With the superstition still being alive to this day, it continues to preserve Ireland’s ancient History very effectively.