Souterrain

The National Monuments Service's description

See field inspection report (diary NF7, 181-2) (SMR file). According to the report, there is no visible surface trace of this souterrain.
Discovery of the monument was described by Hitchcock (1854-5) as follows; 'The few portions of bones which I send were picked up by myself in underground chamber discovered, towards the end of June last, on the Messrs. Hilliard's at Ballydunlea, near Tralee. As this was evidently the first time the souterrain had been disturbed since its desertion by the original occupants, perhaps I may be permitted to give some account of it. The 'cave' was discovered in the course of digging up an old stone fence which ran down through the length of the field. There is no trace of a fort on the surface; but a mound like a portion of tumulus is to be seen, overgrown with blackthorn, briers, &c. This mound may have formed part of the embankment of fort; but it is now difficult to ascertain this, as it seems to have lost much of its original form, and no further trace of a fort remains. The entrance to the cave is from the west side, where we get into a long passage, which slopes down deeper till it reaches the level of the door of the inner chamber. This passage from where we entered to the little doorway leading into the chamber is about seventeen feet [5.2m] long; its average breadth three feet [0.9m], and average height four feet [1.2m]. A great part of one of the side walls is formed by the natural lime-stone rock, the whole structure being built with the lime-stone of the place. The rest of the passage is composed of middle-sized stones, covered over at top by large flags. The doorway leading to the inside chamber is two feet [0.6m] high, by one and half feet [0.5m] broad, the bottom and part of the sides being also formed by the natural rock, hollowed for that purpose. The chamber is of a circular form, being five feet [1.5m] broad by six feet [1.8m] long, and it is about six feet [1.8m] high, built of middle sized stones, brought in, one over the other, in the form of a bee-hive, till they are overlaid at top by a few larger stones. The whole building is very rude. The door of the entrance passage and also that of the chamber are covered with stones, which seem to have lain there a long time. The floor of the chamber, under the stones, was partly strewn with small bones and portions of bones, and it is a few of these which I send the Society. I heard that a horse's skull was found in the chamber by some person who went in soon after it had been opened, and that, as usual in such discoveries, the greatest hopes of finding treasure were entertained. The entrance passage and chamber lie nearly east and west, and as the old fence lay in the same direction, it must have passed over them. I could see no trace of an inscription on any of the lintels in this souterrain. In the adjoining field, and nearer to the river, there is what I always considered an interesting fort [KE038-010003-]'.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 28 January 2022

References

Hitchcock, R. 1854-5 Earthwork and Souterrain. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Vol. 3, 175-6.

Waddell, J. 1970 Notes on some Kerry souterrains. Journal of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society 3, 15-18.