Rock art

The National Monuments Service's description

This large area of rock outcrop measures 5.1m x 3.4m. Its flat, decorated surface is at a lower level than its 2.5m high E side. Shallow cupmarks, a few of which feature radial grooves, dominate the carvings, and the presence of extensive pitting may partly be the result of weathering. Five individual cupmarks form a circular arrangement around a central one. There are four cup-and-ring motifs, two with incomplete rings, and a small cup-and-circle is the only motif present on the irregular E side (Finlay 1973, 89-90).

See attached drawing of rock art taken from O'Sullivan and Sheehan 1996, Fig. 54 (d)

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. 321. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 28 July 2013

In upland heath pasture, on a steep portion of a NE-facing slope (146m OD), extensive views afforded overlooking Kealduff River valley and Lough Brin to NE. Directly overlooked by steep, rugged mountain landscape to W. A very rough and fractured sandstone rock outcrop (dims. 5.8m NW-SE; 3.3m NE-SW; H 2.5m) which is cut into hillslope at SW-side. It is irregular in plan and has a flat decorated surface (dims. 2.2m NW-SE; 0.7m NE-SW) with a rugged step-up along the NE-side and grass growing in the natural crevasses. The motifs are quite faint and consist of approximately thirty-one cupmarks (diam. 3-6.5cm, D 6-9mm) concentrated across centre and at SE-end. There are three cup-and-one ring motifs (diam. 15cm) of which the cupmarks (diam. 8cm; D 8mm) are quite large and deep and the ring (Wth 2cm; D 2mm). Two of these are at the SE-end and one is at the NW-end. There is also a partial cup-and-ring (diam. c. 19cm) off-centre to NW. The three cup-and-one ring and the partial cup-and-ring motifs are very faint. Random pickmarks are concentrated around the central area of cupmarks.

Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly

Date of upload: 8 March 2017

References

Finlay, F. 1973 The rock art of Cork and Kerry. Unpublished MA thesis, University College, Cork.