Man-made underground passage in Gour

In pasture, on an E-facing slope overlooking Castletownbere. According to local information, the ground collapsed during land reclamation works revealing a series of underground chambers running in a NE-SW direction for c. 35m. The chambers (Wth c. 1m; H c. 1.3m) were 'barrel-shaped' and cut from clay and were linked by 'narrower passages' or creep-holes, which contained 'cobbled stones - like rounded beach stones'. The floors of the chambers were c. 1.8m below the ground level. According to local information, a substantial number of human bones (CO127-058002-) were found in one of the chambers. The chambers were subsequently filled with earth and the ground was levelled off and re-seeded. This 35m strip now displays a slight depression and a distinctive growth pattern. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009