Forts not your forte?

A new exhibition focusing on the real history behind the Rebel County’s fairy forts will be launched today.

Researched, designed and constructed by the MA of Museum Studies class at UCC, the Ancient Forts of Cork exhibition at Cork Public Museum will look to shed light on the true nature of the county’s oldest structures.

The class is made up of a mix of North American and Irish students who developed the exhibition with the help of an experienced team of archaeologists, curators and museum professionals.

Speaking to the Cork Independent, visiting American student Seth Coccia, said: “The exhibition is really about tearing down preconceived notions of fairy forts and the folk history surrounding them, and presenting the actual history of these places.

“It's also about spreading awareness of the importance of these sites which will help with the conservation efforts.”

Forestry, quarrying, agriculture and other modern developments all contribute to a high rate of fort destruction in Ireland.

“There was tens of thousands in Ireland at one point, and there are still thousands, but the number has been shrinking,” said Mr Coccia.

Popularly known as ‘fairy forts’, the earliest structures can be dated back to the age of the first farmers in circa 3500BC.

Well-known forts such as those in Carrigillihy and Clashanimud will be featured in the exhibition which will run for six months before being moved to a city centre venue.

Mr Coccia said: “The forts would have played a huge role in the history of the time. Many of them were common farm settlements for average people, but a large selection of Cork's forts would have been regional capitals.

“They were very much displays of power, so the bigger the fort, the more powerful you were. The hill forts sitting up on higher land overlooking a lot of farm land would have been very symbolic.”

The exhibition will open to the public tomorrow and is free to enter.