Souterrain

The National Monuments Service's description

Cahernagat/Cathair na gCat: A small, circular cashel KE042-093---- situated on the lower, SSE facing slopes of Croaghmarhin. In the interior are the remains of 2 stone huts, a souterrain and an ogham stone.

Souterrain: A drystone-built souterrain passage, aligned SW-NE, is located in the NE portion of the interior. A single roofing slab is visible on the surface and a gap below this provides limited access to the structure. The passage extends 1.5m to SW before being completely blocked by collapse. It is .65m high at present. The ground to NE of the opening is depressed for a length of .7m and this may mark the line of a further section of the passage. A large slab in the outer face of the cashel wall at NE apparently marks an entrance to the souterrain (local information), but the gap beneath it has now been blocked-up. The slab is at least .8m below the level of the roofing slabs visible in the interior, indicating that the passage must slope downwards to the exterior.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 549. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 7 August 2013