Clochan

The National Monuments Service's description

Located in the low-lying land at the E side of Smerwick Harbour, this structure was discovered in the course of clearing the field for tillage in 1967 and was subsequently inspected by O'Kelly (UCC). The structure consisted of a circular enclosure, 3m in diameter internally, defined by drystone walling, up to 1m high, its top flush with the external ground level. Where best preserved the upper courses of the wall were slightly corbelled. On the W side was a drystone-lined entrance measuring .8 to 1m in width.
A little to E of the centre of the structure was a sub-rectangular pit c. 1m E-W x c. 1.3m N-S x c. 0.7m deep. This feature was lined with upright slabs of sandstone with a little drystone walling at the top on the N side. The sides of the pit were held at the top edge by slabs laid flat on the sand. The land-owner had cleared out the pit to a depth of .4m leaving a deposit .3m deep. This consisted of burnt material striated yellow, grey and black, indicating that successive fires had been lit in the pit. There was some evidence that this burnt material had spread out from the edge of the pit to the base of the enclosing wall but the stratification had been greatly disturbed. There were no finds.
The structure could not be definitely classified but it was suggested that it may have been the foundation of a clochaun or possibly a corn-drying kiln. There is a local tradition that wheat was grown in these fields about 200 years ago.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 1524. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 5 August 2013