What is recorded here

Clochan in Cill Maoilchéadair is a small drystone cell named Poll Jo, tucked into the western slopes of Reenconnell hill above Smerwick Harbour. Its wedge-shaped chamber narrows and lowers toward the rear, with three large slabs stepped across the top like a roof built for one person and the rain. It may have served a hermit, a keeper of lights, or a forgotten worker in the old church landscape, but its shape still suggests solitude, patience and watchfulness.

The Early Christian and Medieval ecclesiastical complex at Kilmalkedar (KE042-026----) lies at the foot of the W slopes of Reenconnell hill, overlooking Smerwick Harbour. The Reenconnell ridge peaks at 907 feet/276m to NE of the site and the area around Kilmalkedar is sheltered on its N and S sides by spurs of this hill. (14) (KE042-026014-) Known locally as Poll Jo, this small drystone-built cell measures 3.25m NE-SW x at least 6.39m NW-SE externally. Its E side is incorporated into a NW-SE field wall and the outer face on the E side is probably not original. The field wall is bonded into the NE corner of the structure but the relationship between the 2 on the S side is obscured by collapse. Internally the cell is wedge-shaped in plan, measuring 1.75m in length NE-SW and decreasing in width from 1.9m at the open W side to 1.76m at the rear, and decreasing in height from 1.93m at the opening to .75m at the back wall. The drystone walls are constructed of fairly large slabs and the upper courses are slightly corbelled to support the 3 large roof slabs which are stepped downwards from front to rear. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 855. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 8 August 2013

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