Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Kildreenagh Burial Ground / Cill Draighneach: This large, roughly oval enclosure (KE078-009004-) is located towards the centre of Valencia Island on a S facing slope that overlooks Portmagee Channel. The original enclosing element survives only in the S and W quadrants, where a steep sided earthen bank, surmounted by a modern wall, reaches a maximum external height of 2.3m. There is an entrance gap, .5m wide, at SW, and a possible second at SSE, where a disturbed gap in the bank is marked on its E side by an upright stone, 1.1m high. Elsewhere the site is delimited by modern stone walls and by a 6m wide area at E that was planted with conifers in the early 1980’s. The enclosed area, which measures 47m N-S x 42m E-W, slopes gently towards S and contains the foundations of five huts, an ogham stone, a shrine and a holed stone. Numerous un-inscribed grave-markers occur in the SE and S portions of the site, and relate to its use as a ceallúnach burial ground. Brash recorded that the site ‘is at present and in memory and tradition, used only for the burial of unbaptised children and suicides, the only adult internment recorded is that of an old woman, about 70 years ago’ (1879, 241).

The above description is derived from O'Sullivan, A. and Sheehan, J. (compilers) 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University press. (1996), no. 940. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 11 June 2013