What is recorded here

Three shallow cups sit inside a narrow oval on a sandstone boulder, while four more cluster near the southeast corner. A person may have knelt beside the rock, marking measures or memories before peat and moss began erasing the edges. The valley stretches south beneath the mountain, waiting for someone to notice the small differences between a cup and a hole.

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 (2m N-S; 1.45m E-W; H 0.65m at the S end), which is covered by peat at its N end, features some rock art. Three cupmarks (diam. 4cm; D 1cm) are in a line close to the W edge of the boulder and are enclosed by an oval groove (0.21m N-S; 0.11m E-W). A cluster of four cupmarks occupies an area (0.2m N-S; 0.2m E-W) near the SE corner of the boulder. There is further rock art (KE084-073001-, KE082-073002-) c. 35m to the W. 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 (163m OD), overlooking Kealduff River valley to S. There is a drystone wall field boundary (long axis NNW-SSE) c. 2m to NE. A smooth and unfractured, sandstone rock (dims. 1.55m NNW-SSE; 1.1m ENE-WSW; max. H 0.6m) which is partially covered in peat at N-end and has loose boulders around the N margin. It has an irregular-shaped decorated surface (dims. 1.25m NNW-SSE; 1.1m ENE-WSW) and is lying flat, exposing the rock art to weathering. The motifs are concentrated to the E and W-sides of the rock surface and are poorly preserved. The motifs on the W-side cover a small area (dims. 40cm x 60cm) and consist of a triple cupmark (diams. 4-5cm) enclosed by a single ring (dims. 20cm x 10cm). A single cupmark (diam. 5cm) is located 4cm to SE. A possible cup-and-one ring motif (diam. 16cm) is 10cm to S of latter and has a cupmark (diam. 5cm) and very faint ring. Another cupmark (diam. 4cm) and semi-circular ring (diam. 14cm) is located 8cm to SW of aforementioned possible motif. A number of random pock/pick marks are around this area with a concentration to W of the triple cupmarks. The rock art on E-side covers a smaller area (dims. 40cm x 35cm) and consist of a large oval cupmark (dims. 7cm x 5cm); a second cupmark (diam. 5cm) is 12cm to ESE; a third cupmark (diam. 4cm) is 7cm to ESE of latter; a fourth, large oval cupmark (dims. 5cm x 6cm) enclosed by a triangular ‘ring’ (dims 19cm x 19cm) with rounded corners, is located 7cm to N of the large oval cupmark. A picked square area is located beside these cupmarks. There may be other subtle motifs obscured by heavy black mosses/blotches of lichen or under the peat to N. Rock art sites (KE082-073001-) and (KE082-073002-) are c. 16m to W. This area is strewn with numerous earthfast boulders and loose rocks of varying shapes and sizes. Deserted clachan c. 35m to E. 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 symbolic significance, possibly linked to landscape orientation or seasonal markers. No specific folklore is recorded, but its position on a prominent slope suggests it may have been visible to travelers or used in territorial or ceremonial contexts.

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