Funnel; Mouth of Cave

Centrally located within the internal area of a rath (SL022-004001-) is a circular raised area (diam. 10m; H 0.7-1m), corresponing with the location marked 'Funnel' on the 1837 and 1913 OS 6-inch maps. Beneath this, and extending from it in a SW direction, is a collpased and partially infilled, drystone-built passage (L 9m; Wth 3m; H 1.2m). At its SW end is a D-shaped drystone-built chamber (4.85m NNE-SSW; 2.85m WNW-ESE; H 2.2m) whose lintel roof has partially collapsed. At floor level at the N end of the E (straight) wall of the chamber is a small lintelled opening (Wth 0.95m; H 0.45m) which gives access to a largely collapsed passage. At the SSW corner of the chamber is a second low, lintelled opening (Wth 0.75m; H 0.4m) at floor level giving access to a second passage which appears to extends to S. The line of this passage appears to be indicated at surface level by a shallow, depression located 5m S of the collapsed D-shaped chamber. A sketch plan of the Man-made underground passage in the OS Name Books (vol. 1, p. 215) shows this passage extending to the rath bank at S to the point marked 'Mouth of Cave on the 1837 OS 6-inch map and 'Cave' on the 1913 edition. Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan Date of upload: 19 January 2011