Souterrain

The National Monuments Service's description

The 'unusually extensive' souterrain recorded by Ashe (1954, 20) is located on gently sloping pastureland on the lower NW slopes of Knockafeehane with an excellent outlook over the Anascaul Valley to N and W. The accessible portion is roughly L-shaped in plan and consists of 2 small, rectangular chambers linked by a short creepway.
Chamber 1, orientated E-W, is rectangular in plan with a slightly curved end wall at W. It measures 3.4m long, a maximum of 1.25m high and is 1m wide at base. The upper 2 to 3 courses of the drystone-built walls are corbelled, thus reducing the chamber width, at roof level, to c. 0.6m. Seven flat slabs roof the chamber, one overlying a .15m wide gap between 2 others. Access is gained by removing the 2nd last roof slab from the W end. Two upright slabs, extending the full width of the E end wall, flank the lintelled entrance to the short drystone-walled creepway which opens onto the S end of the W wall of chamber 2. Roofed by 3 flat slabs, the easternmost being cracked, the creepway measures lm in length, .42m in width and up to .56m in height.
Chamber 2 is 1.1m wide, c. 1.1m high, and at least 2m long. Its N end is completely blocked by collapsed earth and stones. The debris extend across the floor partly blocking and infilling the creepway and rendering access difficult. The walls are constructed of upright slabs overlain by drystone walling, the upper courses being slightly corbelled. It is roofed by 4 flat slabs. The remainder of the souterrain is inaccessible and there is no record of its exact size or layout other than Ashe's brief comment. Though known locally as 'Ferriter's Fort', there is no trace of any associated monument.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 745. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 7 August 2013