Castlepook Cave’s time-averaged deposits complicate attempts to picture Cork at a single point in MIS 3. Hyena denning, scavenging and disturbance may have mixed remains from different ecological phases, while revised dates caution against placing famous species there in 30,190 BCE. This makes the cave more than a fossil list: it is evidence for changing habitats, dispersal opportunities and preservation processes. The contrast with confirmed human activity highlights how environmental evidence can be informative without supporting settlement narratives. What combination of dating, taphonomic analysis and offshore research would help clarify the sequence of animal communities and their routes into Ireland?