Man-made underground passage in An Loch — Report the wrong picture

What is recorded here

An underground stone chamber with steps and flooding water still stands near Ballintaggart, though its true identity remains uncertain. Lewis described connected circular cells in 1837, possibly an ancient reservoir, but the chamber may be a disused well instead. The closed cave on the old map and the flooded well in the well field both compete to be the same place. Whichever is correct, someone cut steps into living rock and built a chamber deep enough to disappear beneath the ground.

Lewis (1837, 649) recorded the discovery, in the vicinity of Ballintaggart burial ground (KE053-033003-), of 'several small circular cells ... constructed of stone work and communicating with each other'. They were entered by means of a descent of several steps and were 'supposed to have formed an ancient reservoir'. The 'cave' marked in Lough townland on the 1st edition of the OS map was closed up when visited by the OS, but, on the basis of local information, it was taken to be the structures referred to by Lewis (OSM). However, about three-quarters of a mile to NE, in 'the well field' in Ballintaggart townland, is a disused well which may alternatively be that recorded by Lewis. If so, it is uncertain whether or not there was another well, or perhaps a Man-made underground passage, in Lough townland at the above co-ordinates. The well in Ballintaggart consists of a large, underground, drystone-built chamber roofed by large flags. Access is by means of a flight of stone steps. The floor of the chamber is filled in with loose stones and is flooded at present. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 780. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013

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