What is recorded here

Three rock-cut chambers branched from a central north-south passage inside the Ballycatten ringfort, their stone walls rising just over a metre before leaning outward like tired shoulders. Creepways linked the rooms, lintels roofed one junction, and post-holes in each floor hinted at timber supports long vanished. The excavators found only perforated slates amid deliberate fill of humus and stones, leaving chamber three rough and unfinished as if abandoned mid-task. Whatever lived beneath that Cork field did so in darkness, cramped and quiet, until mediation buried it again.

In ringfort (CO124-034001-); one of three Man-made underground passages (CO124-034002-; CO124-034004-) discovered during excavation (Ó Ríordáin and Hartnett 1943, 13-17). Three stone-built chambers; construction trench rock-cut. Central chamber orientated N-S, connected by creepways to other chambers which branched from it at either end to E and W respectively. Stone walls remained to height of 1.06m showing outward batter towards top. Creepway from chamber 2 to chamber 3 roofed with lintels. Chamber 3 poorly constructed, excavators suggest left in unfinished state. Four post-holes in floor of each chamber; posts probably supported roof. Only finds were perforated slates. All chambers filled with humus and stones which excavators suggest was deliberate and done not earlier than medieval times. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

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