Shrine

The National Monuments Service's description

National Monument No. 519. Calluragh burial ground/An Cheallnúach: KE042-060001- is located about 1.25km E of the village of Ballyferriter on approximately the highest point in the townland with a good view to the N over Smerwick Harbour.

(3) (KE042-060003-) Slab Shrine: This consists of a small paved area, .9 x .85m, surrounded by 2 erect slabs and 2 small corner pillars with 2 courses of small stones completing the feature. The fill of dark soil over the paved floor indicated the presence of bone and supported the view that it was used as a form of shrine to hold re-interred human bone. A sherd of Bii ware was found in the upper fill. The shrine is located at the same level as the lintel graves and it probably marked the W limits and focus of the primary cemetery. Two post-holes, 30cm in depth and over 1m apart, were uncovered to the S of the shrine indicating some form of early wooden structure possibly associated with a primary wooden oratory as was found at Church Island (O'Kelly 1958).

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 874. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 9 August 2013

References

Cuppage, J. 1986 Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne.

O'Kelly, M.J. 1958 Church Island, near Valencia, Co. Kerry. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 59C, 57-136.