House - indeterminate date

The National Monuments Service's description

In rough pasture, in S quadrant of archaeological complex (LI048-034006/042-) located on the 'Supposed Site of Temaír Erann', which was the ancient cemetery of the Ernai tribe on Slievereagh (Sliabh Riabhach) (Westropp 1919, 9; Westropp 1917-19, 179; Westropp 1918, 111). House site e in S quadrant of rectangular enclosure (LI048-034042-) excavated by Ó Ríordáin (1940, 115-18) who described his results as follows; 'The area which we have termed the Enclosure [LI048-034042-) is that part of the Southern Group which has on three sides of it a bank and fosse, and on the fourth side the group of conjoined ring-forts (LI048-034027/028-/016-). The northern and western sides of the Enclosure are defended by a slight outer bank in addition to the fosse and inner bank. In the investigation of the interior we stripped several comparatively large areas and made trial cuttings elsewhere, as, of course, it was not feasible to attempt the investigation of the whole of such a large area.
Site e - Here on the western side of Fort 6 [LI048-034041-] we cleared a considerable area in the hope of getting house sites. That houses had existed there was testified in places by the bands of charcoal representing the house-walls, but, though we exercised every possible care, we found that no definite house-plan could be recovered'.

See attached plan of possible excavated house site taken from Ó Ríordáin 1940.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 29 December 2021

References

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

Westropp, T.J. 1917-19 The Earthworks, Traditions, and the Gods of South-Eastern Co. Limerick, Especially from Knocklong to Temair Erann. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy: Archaeology, Culture, History, Literature 34, 127-183.

Westropp, T.J. 1918 Temair Erann, an Ancient Cemetery of the Ernai on Slievereagh, County Limerick. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquities of Ireland, 111-20.

Westropp, T.J. 1919 The ancient places of assembly in the counties Limerick and Clare. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 49, 1-24.