What is recorded here

Derreeny holds three rock art sites on sunny slopes above the Kealduff River, including cup-and-ring marks cut into smooth sandstone. The main boulder tilts into the hill like a shoulder leaning out to watch the valley. Its faint marks may have guided people, marked a boundary, or recorded something now lost. They still point south, unsteady but present, inviting attention rather than explanation.

In rough rocky hill pasture, on the lower S-facing slopes of Knockaunanattin Mountain with commanding views S along the valley of the Kealduff River. An earthfast boulder (1.8m N-S; 0.85m E-W; H 0.4m at N), which features some rock art, slopes to the S where it runs into the ground. The S half of the upper surface displays two weathered cup-and-rings (diam. c. 11cm) and two cupmarks (diam. c. 4cm; D c. 1cm). There is another example of rock art (KE082-073002-) c. 2m to the S and a third (KE082-073003-) c. 35m to the E. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Kerry. Volume I: South-West Kerry' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 30 May 2011 In rough, open pasture, on a S-facing slope (164m OD), within a field system defined by a drystone wall; Field boundary c. 2.5m to NW. Excellent views of Kealduff river valley to S. A smooth and fractured sandstone outcrop (dims. 1.5m N-S; 0.72m E-W; max. H 0.3m) which has a sub-rectangular decorated surface (dims. 0.39m N-S; 0.20m E-W) with subtle, natural striations and a S-facing aspect. The motifs are located off-centre to S of the stone surface and are very faint and weathered, except the cup-and-ring which is distinct. The rock art consists of one cup-and-ring (diam. 10cm) having a cupmark (diam. 4cm; D 4mm) and ring (Wth 1.5cm; D 3-4mm), to S and a cupmarks (diam. 2cm, D 2mm) c. 12cm to N and a second cupmark (diam. 3cm; D 3mm) c. 14cm to NW of the latter. A third, possible cupmark/large pickmark (diam. 1.5cm; D 4mm) is c. 20cm to S of the cup-and-ring motif. There are linear and curvilinear grooves (Wth 1.5cm, D 4mm) off-centre to NE of the stone surface. Rock art (KE082-073002-) is c. 2.0m to S and rock art (KE082-073003-) is c. 16m to E. This area is strewn with numerous earthfast boulders and loose rocks of varying shapes and sizes. Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 9 March 2017

Likely dating to the Neolithic or Bronze Age, the rock art at Derreeny may have held ritual or territorial significance, possibly linked to landscape orientation or celestial markers. No specific folklore is recorded for the site.

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