Souterrain

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated at the foot of a rocky hillock in undulating pasture. According to the landowner he has known of this monument for many years. It is recorded in 1938 as follows: 'There are underground chambers in a field in Cooley. They are about 200 yards north west of Cooley Cross. At present four chambers can be entered. They are entered from one to the other through man-holes. There is also a fifth chamber and a man hole leading into it, but it is blocked by stones.
They are cut out of rock. The ceilings are not very high, therefore it is difficult for anyone to stand in them. Some of the manholes are fairly big. There is one of them very narrow, and anyone that has to go through it has to go through it has to go on their hands and feet. People think that there must be some ventilation in it, because the air is pretty good. In wet weather there is a little water in the first chamber, but it does not lie. In dry weather they are quite dry. There are stones on the floor which had fallen from the ceiling. The first chamber is 11 ft long, 3 ft broad and 3 ft high. It is partly filled with clay. The second one is 16ft long, 4 ft 2 ins broad, 4 ft 6 ins high. The third one is 15ft long, 5 ft broad, 4ft high.’ (Schools Collection Vol. 1118 (Bredagh Glen School), 146-7).
The remains comprise a small irregularly-shaped opening (max. dim. 0.45m; D 0.35m) at the E end of what appears to be a rock-cut passage extending in a W direction. The entrance had previously been covered-over by a series of stone slabs which are now lying against a field boundary a short distance to the N. Given the size of the opening it did not prove possible to enter the passage. However the landowner's sons and other small boys had managed to squeeze through it and into the passage. They said that it has 'thin walls' and that it did not have a man-made roof. According to the boys, the passage gave entrance to five 'chambers' of which four are still accessible.

The Schools Collection is available on http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4493784/4420014 (accessed 27 May 2014).

Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan

Date of upload: 27 May 2014