Souterrain

The National Monuments Service's description

In the NE quadrant of a rath (GA095-103----). This partially collapsed drystone-built souterrain (L >30m) consists of three chambers linked by two creeps that form a zig-zag arrangement on plan. Access is gained at three points, through gaps between the roof lintels of each chamber. The 1st chamber (L 6.7m) runs NNE-SSW. Only its NNE end (L 2.7m; Wth 1.6m; H 1.25m) remains intact. A blocked-up creep at the N end of the ESE wall would have accessed the 2nd chamber (L c. 8m; Wth 1.6m; H 1.55m), which runs WNW-ESE. A drop-hole creep (L .55m; Wht 0.7m; H 0.7m) extends off the S end of its ENE wall and leads to the 3rd chamber which runs ENE-WSW. Only the extreme SW end (L c. 2m) of this chamber is intact. A small wall recess is evident in the ESE wall close to its S end. A linear depression (L c. 10.2m; Wth 2.7m; D 0.8m) indicates that this chamber continued further to the ENE; the tops of the side walls of the chamber are evident in the sides of the depression. (Athy 1914, 133; McCaffrey 1952, 139, no. 7)

Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG

Date of upload: 14 December 2017

References

McCaffrey, P. 1952 A contribution to the archaeology of the barony of Dunkellin, Co. Galway. Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.

Lynch Athy, M. 1914 Notes on the Ordnance Survey Letters relating to the Barony of Dunkellin, Co. Galway: IV - Oranmore Parish. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society 8, 129-98.