What is recorded here
Calluragh Burial Ground on Valencia Island is a children's burial ground where upright slabs still mark small graves inside a faded earth bank. The site overlooks Portmagee Channel from the south slopes of Geokaun, preserving a quiet danger in its ordinary stones. What was lost there may have been infants, twins or favoured children of the island, but the ground no longer speaks their names.
Calluragh Burial Ground: This poorly preserved site is located on the S slopes of Geokaun, Valencia Island, overlooking Portmagee Channel. It is shown as a circular enclosure on the first edition of the OS map, while on the second edition it is marked is a sub-rectangular area. The present remains consist of a raised area, 22m N-S x 39m E-W, defined by a poorly preserved bank of earth and stone which is 2m in average width and up to 1.3m in external height. The remains of an entrance are located at NE and are marked on one side by two upright slabs, averaging 0.8m high. The interior of the site is roughly level with the top of its enclosing clement and contains the foundations of a circular hut, a rectangular building, and a possible leacht. Towards the centre of the site are numerous upright slabs, which presumably relate to its period of use as a ceallúnach.
See attached plan taken from Henry 1957, fig. 14, 91.
The above description is derived from O'Sullivan, A. and Sheehan, J. (compilers) 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University press. (1996), no. 945. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Revised by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of revised upload: 29 March 2022
The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.
- What survives
- Recorded monument
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