Burial ground

The National Monuments Service's description

De Paor (1955, 186) recorded a tradition that the wall enclosed an area used as a burial ground. No corroborating evidence has been found to support this classification (pers. comm. G. Rourke).

This feature was described in 1996 as follows; 'Christ's Valley: Also known as Christ's Saddle, this broad U-shaped depression occurs 130m above sea level midway between the two peaks of the island. On it occurs the meeting point of the N and S flights of steps, the remains of a wall [KE104A001114-] and a largely natural shelter. The poorly preserved wall, which runs NE-SW, consists of a short row of slabs set on edge. Set into it are two stone crosses [KE104A001023-, KE104A001024-], neither of which would appear to represent the 'Monumental Pillar' marked on Christ's Valley on the OSi 6-inch maps. De Paor records a tradition that the wall enclosed an area used as a burial ground (1955, 186). Smith recorded that this part of the island was 'formerly cultivated' (1756, 113), and Foley noted that the lighthouse keepers grew vegetables here (1903, 12). The largely natural shelter is located near the lower W slope of Christ's Valley. It consists of a very large slab-boulder which inclines against a near vertical rock-face. Three upright slabs have been positioned at its open E end, where an entrance gap, 0.35m wide x 0.9m high, occurs. The interior of the shelter measures 4m N-S x 2.4m E-W. Its floor, now earth-covered, may be stone paved. A Latin cross [KE104A001025-], with INRI scratched above, is carved on the rock-face in the shelter's interior' (O'Sullivan and Sheehan 1996, 287, no. 948 (23)).
This site was described in 1955 as; 'In Christ's Valley detritus from the peak has formed a loose deposit in a pocket on the saddle. An area of this had been enclosed by a low retaining wall formed of slabs set on edge. It is said to have been used as a graveyard. The line of the enclosure can be seen in the photograph (Plate XXXV) of Christ's Valley' (De Paor 1955, 186).

See attached photograph taken from De Paor 1995, Plate XXXV

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Kerry. Volume I: South-West Kerry' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 11 March 2022

References

O'Sullivan, A. and Sheehan, J. 1996 The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry. Cork University press.

De Paor, L. 1955 A survey of Sceilg Mhichíl. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 85, 174-87.

Smith, C. 1756 (Reprint 1969) The ancient and present state of the county of Kerry. Cork. The Mercier Press.