Field system

The National Monuments Service's description

This extensive network of pre-bog walls and associated features occupies the peat-covered, level terrain which extends N from the Kilduff river to the lower slopes of Slievanore. The visible walls are most heavily concentrated in two roughly rectangular areas of cut-away bog, located SE of Lough Acoose. The first area extends c. 240m N-S x c. 100m E-W. The walls here are exposed to an average height of .6m, average .9m wide and mainly survive as lines of boulders and low orthostats. One meanders the full length of the area, and both linear and curvilinear walls up to 50m long extend from it. Scattered within the area to its E are five huts and two enclosures. Only their foundations survive, varying from .3m to .4m high and from .6m to .8m wide. The enclosures have diameters of 4.5m and 6m, while the diameters of the huts range from 2.5m to 3m. A small portion of a stone trackway is exposed close to the N hut.
The second concentration of walls occurs c. 100m to E and extends c. 70m N-S x c. 190m E-W. A large number of short, linear stretches, averaging .5m high and .9m wide, are exposed. A number are cut through by drains, which reveal that they were built on the mineral soil underlying the peat.
A fulacht fiadh (KE072-006003-) is located about 230m S of the first area. It is a 1m high, semicircular mound of fire-shattered stone, 9.2m N-S x 7m E-W, which encloses a flat subcircular area measuring 2.6m x 2.5m. Adjacent at E are the remains of a circular hut, which measure 3.4m in internal diameter. Its wall stands to a maximum height of .7m and is constructed of large boulders. Isolated stretches of pre-bog walls occur between the hut and the walls to N.

The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 37. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 28 July 2013