Road - unclassified togher

The National Monuments Service's description

White Horse Ridge Roadway or Bohergarraunbaun described by Toal (1995, no. 92) as follows; 'This ancient roadway is marked on the 1841-42 OS map as Bohergarránban. Though it does not appear on the later edition map, it is quite visible on the ground. It is possible that this roadway extended from the monastic settlement at Dysert (KE010-062002-) across the marshes to Rattoo, for it is recorded (Petrie, 1845) that a causeway extended from Rattoo Round Tower towards the River Brick and the 'bohergarránban' can be traced from the E side of the river across the marshes. 'An ancient road now called white horse ridge extends from the old church of Dysart, through the bog, as far as Rattoo' (O'Donovan, OSNB 1841). It would appear that this road was constructed in straight sections and had a consistent width of 2.75m throughout. It is visible for 1,830m. See also (KE010-062----)'.

In 1841 the Ordnance Survey recorded the following details; 'An ancient road [KE009-088----] now called White Horse Ridge extends from the old church of Dysert [KE010-062----], through the bog, as far as Rattoo [KE009-089----]. There is a fisherman still constantly at the place with a small bottomed boat, in which he ferries people who wish to make the short cut to Listowel across the Casán Ciarraighe now incorrectly anglicised the Cashen River' (O'Donovan 1983, 34). Outline of this road clearly visible on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13.

See attached Google Earth orthoimages.

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 10 June 2022

References

Toal, C. 1995 North Kerry Archaeological Survey. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority.

OSNB - Ordnance Survey Name Books. Pro-forma books arranged by Civil Parish for recording townland and other name-forms and compiled in the course of the OS 6-inch survey 1824-1841. The name books also include minor names and incidental references to antiquities. National Archives of Ireland.

O'Donovan, J. 1983 The antiquities of the county of Kerry. Cork. Royal Carbery Books.

Petrie, G. 1845 ( 1970 2nd ed.) The ecclesiastical architecture of Ireland, an essay on the origins and uses of the round towers of Ireland. Shannon. Irish University Press.