Souterrain

The National Monuments Service's description

Souterrain in S quadrant of bivallate ringfort (LI048-034037-) excavated by Ó Ríordáin (1940, 128-132) between 1934-5. A second souterrain (LI048-034033-) was uncovered in the N quadrant of the ringfort. Excavations uncovered the remains of a souterrain (L. 10m; Wth 0.9m - 1.5m), described by Ó Ríordáin (1940, 128-9) as; 'The southern souterrain was 33 feet [10m] in length and had attached to its southern end a ventilation passage 16 feet [4.9m] long. The souterrain may be regarded as of two parts, which a break in the continuity of the stone walls showed to have been built at different dates. The southern portion of the souterrain was fairly regularly straight-sided but closed in somewhat where it met the more irregularly-built northern portion. The southern part was somewhat under 3 feet [0.9m] in width but the northern part widened, by reason of a bend in the eastern wall to 5 feet [1.5m]. The symmetrical plan of the southern portion of the structure and the inferior stone-work of the northern part suggest that the latter was the later addition. The ventilation shaft of this souterrain was the best example of this feature found in any of the Cush souterrains. It was almost sixteen feet long and had a width of 10 inches [0.25m] internally. Some of the covering of flat slabs remained in position. The depth was on an average about 1 foot [0.3m], though some of the side slabs had a height of 19 inches [0.48m]. The ventilation passage joined the end wall of the souterrain at the top, at a height of 5 feet [1.5m] above the floor'. No surface remains visible on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13 or on Google Earth orthoimages.

See attached plans from Ó Ríordáin and Google Earth orthoimages.

Compiled by: Fiona Rooney

Date of upload: 25 August 2021

References

Ó Ríordáin, S.P. 1940 Excavations at Cush, Co. Limerick (1934 and 1935). Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 45, 83-181.