Field system

The National Monuments Service's description

In rocky pasture on Knockadoon Peninsula. A field system and fragments of enclosures survives in a narrow N-S valley or ravine (dims. L. 600m; Wth. 50m) that separates Back Hill on the W of the peninsula from Knockmore on the E. The field systems are located to the E of a large Neolithic and Bronze Age habitation site on the W end of the Knockadoon Peninsula excavated during a campaign of archaeological excavations over 18 seasons led by Professor Seán P. Ó Ríordáin (1954; Grogan and Eogan 1987). The S edge of the known extent of the field system lies 70m E of Circle J (LI032-022020-). The field banks can be traced from this point N within the narrow valley or ravine 25m E of Carrignagolur where rectangular enclosures (ext. dims. 64m N-S; 21m E-W and 26m N-S; 19m E-W) and potential rectangular house platforms (LI032-022023-/022024-) are located. The field system widens at the NW to enclose Site 11 (LI032-022019-) and also extends NE around a cist burial excavated in 1985-8 (LI032-315----).
The field system is not depicted on any edition of the OSi maps. Elements of field system are visible on the OSi orthoimages taken 2005-12 and on Digital Globe orthoimages taken 2011-2013. Identified as a relic field systems (Site 13) by Ó Ríordáin (1954, 459) who described the site as; ‘small kerbed platforms (probably habitation sites) and terracing’. Later, the field system is illustrated in significantly greater detail (Cleary 2003, Fig.2, 99) where the old field boundaries are categorised into ‘stone rows; stone and earthen banks; double stone rows with earthen infills; sunken trackways and ‘modern’ field boundaries’. It is clear that the fragmentary remains of field systems as categorised are not necessarily contemporary and may date separately from the prehistoric, medieval and post-medieval periods. The field system is visible on Google Earth orthoimages taken 16/03/2016; 25/03/2017 and 28/06/2018.

See Google Earth orthoimages

Compiled by: Edmond O’Donovan

Date of upload: 11 November 2020

References

Ó Ríordáin, S.P. 1954 Lough Gur excavations: Neolithic and Bronze Age houses on Knockadoon. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 56C, 297-460.

Grogan, E. and Eogan, G. 1987 Lough Gur excavations by Seán P. O Ríordáin; further Neolithic and Beaker habitations on Knockadoon. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 87C, 299-506.

Cleary, R. et al. 2003 Enclosed Late Bronze Age Habitation Site and Boundary Wall at Lough Gur, Co. Limerick. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 103C, 97-189.