Man-made underground passage in Lissaclarig West

In pasture, on an E-facing slope and on the W side of a farm lane. This Man-made underground passage was investigated in 2003 after the W side of the lane collapsed under the weight of a tractor. The collapse resulted in an opening which gives access to chamber 1 (2.95m N-S; 1.32m E-W) which is earth-cut. The roof of this chamber had almost completely collapsed into it and its floor was covered with collapsed earth (D 0.5m). From chamber 1 an opening led to the E into a small earth-cut chamber or recess (Wth 0.9m; H 0.44m; L 0.42m), chamber 2. A similar opening leads to the S from chamber 1 into another earth-cut chamber (Wth 1.4m; H 0.85m; L 0.54m), chamber 3. A possible fourth but much damaged chamber may lie to the W. The Man-made underground passage was subsequently filled with sand and topped with hardcore, which is all that was visible when it was visited in 2004. According to local information, the ground collapsed c. 0.7m further W in the 1980s and the resulting cavity was filled in with stone. (Ryall 2003d) The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009