Cursus

The National Monuments Service's description

Cursus monument on N side of Knockainy Hill which is clearly visible on oblique aerial photographs (CUCAP AVT019/020) taken 20/07/1968 which shows the earthen banks of the cursus running onto a group of five contiguous ring-barrows (LI032-139001-/004-) on the summit of Knockainy Hill. The cursus was described in 2004 as following; 'The cursus monument, stretching down the northern flank of the hill for a distance of approximately 750m, consists of two parallel banks, c. 9m in width and 0.5m in height, separated by a distance of 80m. There is no trace of a terminal at the south-west end of the cursus, where the bank fades out near the crest of the hill. This monument is likely to date from the Neolithic period and may be one of the earliest monuments on the hill. As one progresses up the cursus close to the summit of the hill, one looks directly to the south-west in the direction of the Paps of Anu' (Condit and Coyne 2004).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 06 August 2019

See attached ASI aerial photograph ASIAP - 304/26 taken on 13/09/2002; 348/2 and 348/13 taken on 05/01/2003.

References

Condit, T. and Coyne, F. 2004 Knockainy Hill - a ceremonial landscape in County Limerick. Archaeology Ireland. Heritage Guide No. 27.

ASIAP - Archaeological Survey of Ireland Aerial Photographs (c. 1996 - c. 2010).

CUCAP - Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Unit for Landscape Modelling, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge. See:https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com