Cave

Adjacent to a possible house (MA071-053003-) located to W of centre in the interior of a rath (MA071-053001-). This Man-made underground passage is indicated as ‘Cave’ in the W half of the rath on the 1838 and 1931 OS 6-inch maps. A short, sod-covered length of collapsed, roofless passage (L 2m NW−SE; Wth 0.8-1m; D c. 0.6m) is evident immediately adjacent to the SW end of the possible house. A lintelled opening is visible at each end of the collapsed passage, leading into an intact subterranean passage. The passage has drystone walls and lintel roofing. The NW lintelled opening (Wth 0.85; H 0.45m) reveals a passage which extends to NNW and then appears to swing to NW. The floor level appears to slope down from a point c. 2m from the opening. Areas of slight surface subsidence in the NW quadrant suggest that the passage extends towards the rath scarp at NW. A shallow irregular-shaped depression (2m NE−SW; 1m NW−SE; D 0.3m) is located 2m SE of the collapsed Man-made underground passage passage, at the S corner of the possible house. This may also be a collapsed part of the Man-made underground passage. A small opening is visible in its SW side. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 30 July 2021