What is recorded here

Cairn stands on the western peak of the Paps of Dana in County Kerry, offering unbroken views across rough pasture. Its oval shape holds small loose stones above traces of a hidden kerb, suggesting a larger circular boundary existed before time and weather stripped it away. A modern mound now sits atop the ancient remains, blending human layers into one strange marker on the hilltop.

In rough pasture, on the summit of the western peak of the Paps of Dana, with unbroken views in all directions. A damaged and denuded oval cairn (c. 13m N-S; c. 11m E-W; H c. 2m) consisting mainly of small loose stones. Traces of larger stones laid horizontally at intervals inside the present outer limits suggests kerbing enclosing a circular area (diam. c. 10m), which may have defined the original cairn. A recent, roughly constructed shelter abuts the cairn at E. A modern cairn (diam. 1.6m; H c. 2.5m) has been recently constructed on top of the original cairn. Rubble is scattered along the downslope in all directions. Subsequent to the site inspection, the shelter was dismantled under archaeological supervision and the stones from which it was constructed were reinstated in the cairn (Coyne 2003, 164). During this work it was also noted that the cairn appears to have a kerb of drystone-walling (ibid.). Compiled by: Elizabeth Byrne, Ursula Egan and Sheila Ronan, Archaeological Survey Unit, University College, Cork. Date of upload: 31 January 2011

A Neolithic cairn; likely dates to the Early to Middle Bronze Age. Its location on a prominent summit suggests ritual or funerary significance, common in upland cairn sites across Ireland.

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