Man-made underground passage

In Carrowntemple ecclesiastical enclosure (SL044-056006-). Two parallel and adjacent drystone-built chambers were described by Wallace and Timoney (1987, 45-6) within the ecclesiastical enclosure and c. 20m NW of the graveyard (SL044-056002-). Both chambers contained a considerable amount of fill and it was not possible to determine if they were connected. Sandstone was used for the walls and roof lintels in both chambers. A small opening, covered by a flat circular stone (diam. 0.4m; T 0.05m), led into one chamber (3.2m x 1.55m) which had an air-vent in its SW corner and an entrance on its N side. The second chamber (3.15m x 1.35m; H 1.45m) had a single course of corbelling supporting the roof lintels, one of which was broken. A possible roof lintel which was also noted a short distance to the NE and at right angles to the chambers may represent a further chamber. Recorded in 1836 as a 'cave or rather covered passage' (OSNB vol. 1, 417). These chambers are no longer accessible (pers. comm. M. A. Timoney). A second Man-made underground passage (SL044-056007-) lies c. 130m to W. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008