Midden in Illauntannig

National Monument No. 67. Illauntannig is the largest of the Magharee Islands which lie off the N tip of the peninsula that separates Brandon Bay and Tralee Bay. The Early Christian settlement KE019-002001- is enclosed by a strong cashel wall and is comprised of 2 small oratories, 3 bee-hive huts, a Man-made underground passage and wall-chamber, 3 leachts, a burial ground and a stone cross. Three cross-slabs, a bullaun stone, a hand-bell and fragments of 5 quern-stones have also been discovered within the enclosure and a 2nd bullaun stone lies at the edge of the sea about 100m to S. The hut-site, old field walls and reputed cross-inscribed boulder on Reennafardarrig may also be related to this early settlement. Shell Midden (KE019-002008-): The erosion of the enclosure wall has also revealed a midden deposit composed of shells, animal bones, split and burnt stones and flecks of charcoal. The deposit is quite disturbed and it is not clear whether it lay beneath the cashel wall or outside it. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 843. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 8 August 2013