Perched on the eastern edge of the Sliabh Mis mountains in County Kerry, the Glanbane hillfort once commanded sweeping views over two vital river valleys. Though centuries of ploughing since the 1960s have erased its physical presence from the landscape, this Late Bronze Age fortress still reveals its secrets through aerial photography and crop marks. The site would have been a formidable sight in its heyday, standing guard over the approaches to both the River Lee and River Maine valleys.

The hillfort’s layout tells a story of sophisticated defensive planning. At its heart lies a circular inner enclosure, roughly 114 metres across, surrounded by a second rampart that creates an almost thumbnail-shaped area measuring about 267 metres from northwest to southeast. But the real scale of Glanbane becomes apparent when you trace the outer defences; a third rampart, now following the modern townland boundary between Glanbane and Garraundarragh, enclosed an impressive 10 hectares. This triple-walled design, known as trivallate, consisted of earthen banks with stone facings and rock-cut ditches, a construction method that required considerable resources and organisation.

Recent archaeological work has peeled back more layers of Glanbane’s past. Geophysical surveys have detected multiple large enclosures within the fort’s interior, built from both earth and timber. Two substantial structures occupied the highest point of the site, perhaps serving as residences for the elite or ceremonial buildings. These findings, combined with the fort’s strategic position and impressive scale, suggest Glanbane was far more than just a defensive structure; it was likely a centre of power and community life during the Late Bronze Age. For those wanting to explore the site virtually, a 3D model captures what remains of this ancient stronghold.