Cairn - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

Cuchullin's House/Tigh Chúchulainn: Two hill-top cairns stand 1 mile (c. 1.6 kilometres) apart on the summit of the E-W ridge which separates Lough Anscaul and the Anascaul valley, on the S side of the Dingle Peninsula, from Glanteenassig on the N side. This is the westernmost and larger of the two. The disused wall which runs E-W, directly N of the cairn, marks the boundary between the parishes of Killiney and Ballinvoher. A meandering line of orthostats and prostrate slabs extends E from the cairn, c. 20m S of the parish boundary, for a distance of c. 200m. These may also have formed part of a boundary wall but it is also possible that they are in some way associated with the cairn.
The circular cairn is c. 23m in overall diameter and 5m high. Short sections of a drystone retaining wall are preserved at E and W, to a height of 1m. The original diameter was c. 15m but the material of the cairn has now spread about 3 to 5m beyond the retaining wall. A large depression in the summit of the cairn measures 6m in diameter. A smaller pit at one side of this may result from an attempt to investigate the contents of the cairn.
At least 16 upright or prostrate stones are incorporated into the row of stones which extends E from the cairn. The uprights range from 1.58m to .4m in height and the prostrate slabs from .85 to 2m in length. There is an overall decrease in size from W to E and the tallest, westernmost stone has a tiny cross carved on its S face.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 221. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 4 August 2013