What is recorded here

Cave is a narrow drystone tunnel beneath a Mayo rath, mapped as early as 1838 and still visible through a low lintelled opening. Its walls rise in rough courses to support heavy overlapping slabs, while the earthen floor slopes down before climbing again toward a blank northern barrier. The passage measures nearly thirteen metres, wide enough for one person to walk but tight enough to force humility. It may have stored grain, hidden people or simply marked the rath as a place where the earth could be opened and closed at will.

In the W half of a rath (MA071-059001-). This Man-made underground passage is indicated as ‘Cave’ on the 1838 and 1931 OS 6-inch maps. A lintelled opening (Wth 0.7m; H 0.78m) is visible in the SW quadrant of the rath interior, set in a slight S-facing slope. It reveals a subterranean passage (L 12.8m; Wth 1.35m; H 1.5m) of drystone construction, extending to N and ending at a vertical wall. The walls are constructed of small and medium-sized stones and slabs horizontally laid in rough courses, with a projecting course of larger stones at the top to support a row of massive overlapping roof slabs. The floor is earthen and is strewn with loose stones. It slopes down just inside the entrance at S, then levels out, before rising again at the blind N end of the passage. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 30 July 2021

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.