Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

National Monument No. 10046. Calluragh burial ground/An Cheallúnach: This site is located on a very gentle S facing slope at the head of the broad valley that extends N from Dingle Harbour. It consists of a subrectangular enclosure, within which are a burial ground, a large stone cross and remains of a possible hut.
The enclosure measures 28.6m E-W x 30.3m N-S internally and is defined on all sides by a stony bank, no more than .75m high. It is not clear whether this represents the debris from a stone wall or from a stone-faced earthen bank. Nor is it clear where the original entrance lay. There are gaps in the bank at S and at the NE corner and there are 2 possible jambstones standing about 1m apart in the E bank; these are .4m high.
The burial ground (KE043-013002-) occupies an irregular area covering much of the E half of the enclosure and few graves are now visible outside this area. The individual graves are generally comprised of low mounds, no more than 1.5m in length, sometimes marked at each end by allow upright.
Within the burial area is the stone cross (KE043-013003-) which stands 1.72m high above its modern base. On its SSE face is inscribed a large Latin cross with T-bar terminals, the crossing of arms and shaft surrounded by 2 large concentric circles.
The remains of a rectangular hut (KE043-013004-), 3.2 x 2.5m internally, abut the enclosure bank at S, its walls now reduced to stony banks no more than .4m high.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 875. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 8 August 2013