Man-made underground passage in Carrignagroghera

This Man-made underground passage was discovered in 2001 when roof lintels were exposed during the excavation for a wall foundation trench at a Cork County Council housing development at Pike Road, Fermoy. An opening (1.2m NE-SW; 0.5m NW-SE) was formed which allowed access to a roughly circular stone-built chamber (2.74m NE-SW; 2.54m NW-SE; H 1.7m) with a corbelled roof. The corbelling enabled the chamber to be roofed by small lintels most of which are now lying on the floor of the chamber partially covered by a mound of collapsed earth. The top of the chamber is 0.6m below original ground level. A lintelled creepway (Wth 0.6m; H 0.82m; min. L 1m) at the NE side of the chamber is blocked by earth but probably leads into a second chamber or passage. Some animal bones were noted next to the creepway and in the W side of the chamber. (Lane and Byrne 2001) The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009