Man-made underground passage in Drinane

In pasture, on an E-facing slope overlooking Roaringwater Bay. The presence of a Man-made underground passage here had been known locally for several generations as a small area of collapsed ground was evident intermittently. In 1993 the collapsed area was extended and the Man-made underground passage was subsequently surveyed by archaeologists Lee Snodgrass and Paddy O'Leary. The opening (diam. c. 3m; D 2m) allowed access to four passages. Passage 1 (L c. 8m) leads to the NW and is earth-cut apart from a short section (L 2m) of drystone-walling on its N side. It leads to three earth-cut dome-shaped chambers, all linked by creepways. A possible construction shaft is evident in Chamber 1 (c. 3.5m N-S; c. 2m E-W), the chamber nearest to the passage. A creepway in its NW corner leads into Chamber 2 (c. 3m NE-SW; c. 2m NW-SW). Another creepway in the NW side of Chamber 2 leads into Chamber 3 (c. 5m NE-SW; c. 1m NW-SE). The NE end of chamber 3 narrows and slopes downwards towards a spill of stones. Spills of earth and stones are found in each of the three chambers and are probably the result of previous collapse. Passage 2, which extends to the NE, is earth-cut and has a lintelled entrance but it was inaccessible. Passage 3, which extends to the SE, was again earth-cut and inaccessible. The entrance to Passage 4, which extends to the S, is marked by three lintels supported on orthostats. Cupmarks were noted on two of the lintels. The passage leads to a long rectangular earth-cut chamber (Chamber 4) to the SW and a blocked-up chamber (Chamber 5) to the E, both of which were inaccessible. The Man-made underground passage has since been back-filled and there are no visible remains of it. (pers. comm. Lee Snodgrass and Paddy O'Leary; O'Mahony 2007, 40-46). The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009