Souterrain in Baile Na Habha (tc Cill Chuáin)

Fohernamanagh/Fothair na Manach: The ecclesiastical nature of this settlement (KE025-001001-) is only indirectly suggested by its name and by its traditional association with St. Brendan. He is said both to have founded a monastery here (O'Donoghue 1895, 327-8) and to have sojourned here for a while before embarking on his legendary sea voyage (An Seabhac 1939, 132). Its remote location (it is undoubtedly the most inaccessible settlement on mainland Corca Dhuibhne) also suggests a monastic settlement. However, despite its isolation and the difficulty of access, the valley is reputed to have been occupied at the beginning of the 19th century by 3 or 4 families (Power 1923, 75-6), and it is not clear to what extent the present form of the settlement is attributable to this recent occupation. Another group of structures lies on the scree-strewn slopes to SE of the enclosure. The main feature is an oblong building (KE025-001018-), with a rounded NW side, from which a subterranean passage extends NNW towards but not as far as the enclosure. The building measures 4.4 x 2.5m internally and the drystone walls stand to a maximum height of 2m. The NE wall shows signs of rebuilding and contains a possible blocked entrance. There is now no access from the building to the subterranean passage though the latter extends under the former for at least 2m. The drystone-built passage then runs 4m to NNW; it is c. 0.5m high and 1.2m wide. It now lacks its roof but one of the roofing slabs remains collapsed in the passage. This stone is roughly rectangular in outline, measuring c. 1 x 1m, and a small perforation occurs a little to one side of centre. Two steps or terraces which extend NE from the NW end of the passage are faced with drystone masonry. At the point where the passage exits from under the building, it is surmounted by a c. 2.5m long stretch of drystone walling, .6m high, which retains the level platform on which the building was constructed. This walling is interrupted mid-way along by a drystone-built recess, the lintelled roof of which has collapsed at the rear. The function of this group of structures is uncertain. What appears to be a 2nd underground passage lies c. 2.25m to SW of the 1st. On the surface it is marked by a line of flat slabs but the underlying passage is completely filled in and only at the downslope NW end is it possible to see a short stretch of the drystone walling on which the 1st capstone rests. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 826. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 8 August 2013