Children's burial ground

The National Monuments Service's description

This circular enclosure, which measures 24.4m N-S x 23.4m E-W internally, is located on sloping pasture on the S side of Farraniaragh mountain and overlooks Darrynane Harbour. It is recorded in the OSNB as a 'large fort and burial place for children' (Kilcrohane, 11). The drystone enclosing wall is well-defined, though only its lower courses are preserved. It is 1.85m wide and is formed with coursed slabs that are flanked internally and externally with upright slabs. A series of slabs set on edge define a 2m long entrance passage, 1.3m wide, at SW.
The foundations of a circular hut interrupt the enclosing element at NNW. Its walls, of drystone masonry, are 1.5m wide and enclose an area 5.2m x 4.7m. A .7m wide entrance is located at SSE. A second hut, subcircular in plan, is also contained within the enclosing element at NE and has an internal diameter of 4.3m. The wall, .9m wide, is coursed to a height of .5m and is revetted externally by slabs set on edge.
The burial area occupies the complete interior of the site. Numerous small uninscribed upright slabs and quartz blocks are scattered throughout it, and are generally arranged in N-S rows. They average .3m high. There are two conspicuous groupings of slabs: the first occurs close to the enclosing element at S and occupies a roughly rectangular area, 2.3m N-S 3.3m E-W, which is delineated by slabs set on edge; the second is almost centrally located and consists of an irregular clustering of four slabs that average .5m high and .5m wide.

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. 1002. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 30 July 2013