What is recorded here

Three stone mounds still mark the ridge between Derriana and Cloonaghlin loughs, their horseshoe shapes opening toward a living stream. Fire-shattered rock and charcoal remain buried in the earth, testifying that people heated water there repeatedly instead of carrying heavy vessels. The largest mound reaches thirteen metres across, while two smaller neighbours sit within old field walls. They are not elegant monuments but practical kitchen yards where local life turned heat, water and patience into food, warmth or cleansing.

Located on the lower W slopes of an E-W ridge that divides Derriana and Cloonaghlin loughs, on the S side of a small stream, are two adjoining fulachta fiadh and a third which lies 12m further to E. The fulacht fiadh at W is a horseshoe-shaped mound, 1.1m high, which faces the stream at NNE. It measures 9.7m in overall diameter and its U-shaped central depression measures 4.1m NNE-SSW x 4.5m WNW-ESE. Some large upright slabs protrude from the base of its S side. The composition of the mound is clearly visible and is of earth intermixed with quantities of fire-shattered stone and charcoal flecks and nodules. Adjacent at E, and similarly composed, is a second, larger, fulacht fiadh, 13m in diameter and more irregular in outline. A small flat-topped rise partly obstructs the open N end of the mound. Two ill-defined gaps, apparently of recent origin, occur at SW and SE. A third mound of horseshoe-shape occurs to E, measuring 8.9m NE-SW x 10.5m NW-SE. It is open at NW, where is depression measures 4.4m x 3.4m. The three sites occur within a complex of old field walls. The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 412. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 28 July 2013

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