Man-made underground passage in Lurriga

Donovan (1876, 39-40) noted that '…on the lands of Lurriga (ridge or shin), the property of M'Carthy Downing, M.P., in a large field adjoining Clover Hill House, an opening was accidentally discovered in the soil in November, 1869, which on being enlarged, enabled a person to descend into an underground chamber, about four feet beneath the surface, of the usual oven or bee-hive shape, and hollowed out of the stiff clay subsoil. Human bones, evidently very ancient, were discovered near the entrance…Three other chambers, taking a spiral direction, were also entered, a narrow circular passage leading from one to the other. No. 3 was blocked up by large stones, so firmly impacted that further progress was completely checked. Overhead on the surface of the soil was a large horizontal flat stone or lintel, which seemed from its position, overlaying an opening into one of the caves, to have answered the purpose of a rude door. With regard to the conformation of the land where these cells were explored, it is worthy of remark, that it appeared to be artificial - a raised oblong mound [see CO141-045002-], probably one of the ancient tooms [sic.] or tumuli, referred to in works on Archaeology, and supposed to have been used in pagan times as cemeteries. About a quarter of a mile to the east on the same land is a small rath or fort [this is CO141-046----]. The site of Lurriga House, which forms the extreme western limit of this mound, bears also a general resemblance to an ancient rath; although no traces of rampart or fosse remain...'. According to local information, underground chambers were exposed here during building works in the recent past. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 1: West Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1992). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009