Man-made underground passage in Poulawack

In the N sector of a cashel (CL009-032003-). Listed as ‘Man-made underground passage(s)’ in the RMP (1996). This Man-made underground passage is a roughly Z-shaped structure and comprises a passage (L 5.65m) leading to a chamber. The probable drop entrance - located to N of centre of the cashel – is to a passage which extends NW (L 2.7m; Wth 1.2m), with two roof lintels intact. It then turns N (L 2.95m; Wth 1.07–1.2m; H 1.3m). The S part of this section is collapsed and full of rubble. To the N of this, the passage is rock-cut on the E side and drystone-built (L 1.77m) on the N part of the W side. Two roof lintels cover the N section (L 1.8m) of the passage. There is a niche (H 0.5m; Wth 0.8m; D 0.7–0.93m) in the W wall of the passage at the N end, 0.2m below the lintels. Extending N from the passage, a lintelled creep (Wth 0.57m; H 0.62m; Depth 0.8m) leads to the middle of the S wall of the chamber (3.7m E–W; 1.74m N–S; H 1.3m) which is located within the cashel wall, and is orientated roughly E-W. The chamber is roughly rectangular, except that its N side follows the curve of the cashel wall’s outer face. The W end of the chamber seems to be rounded, but the wall here has collapsed inward. The E, S and W walls are corbelled. There are four lintels in place on the roof.    Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott    Date of upload: 30-9-2025