Causeway in Ballycarty

The 'causeway' was described by Connolly (1999, 4-6) as follows; 'As part of the preparations for the construction of the new link road (N22) between Ballycarty Cross and the Killarney road, the Office of Public Works requested trial excavations on a portion of the proposed route through the townland of Ballycarty, 4km east of Tralee. The lands in question were situated on the west-facing slope of a limestone (Waulsortian) reef which runs for approximately 200m from the east, westward toward Tralee. The spur is one of the highest points on the floor of the broad, flat valley formed by the Stacks Mountains to the north-north-east and the Slieve Mish to the south-southwest. The River Lee rises in the Stacks Mountains and flows southward to the valley floor before curving sharply to the west on its course to the sea at Blennerville. The river is fed by streams from both mountain ranges. The central location of the spur, close to the broad bend of the river, affords expansive views in al directions, including the most accessible passes through the flanking mountains and two fording-points on the River Lee. The low-lying land around the spur is recorded on early maps as being marshy and this would have given the spur all the appearance of a promontory, the only dry approach being from the east. The spur itself is composed of Carboniferous limestone with a minimal soil cover and contains an extraordinary wealth of fossil evidence. The maximum height of the spur is 32m above sea-level (OD), while the maximum height of the area under investigation is 29.5m. The features on the reef consist of six main elements: (1) the ramparts [KE038-076----], (2) the causeway, (3) smaller enclosures, (4) the hilltop enclosure or henge [KE038-022----], (5) quarry ditches, and (6) the cairns. The area of excavation will be described separately as the seventh element of the site. (2) The causeway The eastern end of the spur is the most complicated area of the site. Here the rampart that encloses the rest of the site is not visible on the surface, but a number of other features at this end may be utilising or obscuring its line. The main feature at the eastern end is an embanked causeway-like structure which runs east-west from the level land at the eastern end of the spur right up to the wall of the central enclosure. The north side of the causeway is formed by a bank of earth and stone, utilising the plane of the existing bedrock outcrops, while the southern side is formed predominantly of bedrock outcrop, again augmented by stone and earth. These banks are on average 0.7m high internally, 1.3m high externally and 4m wide. Internally the causeway has a U-shaped profile and is 4.5m in maximum width. The banks on either side are parallel-sided and the total length of the structure is 23m. This feature shows up very well on aerial photographs., and while it has the appearance of some form of causeway or entrance through the enclosing rampart, further investigation would be needed to confirm its exact function'. See attached plan taken from Connolly 1999 Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on information supplied by Michael Connolly, County Archaeologist, Kerry Co. Co. Date of upload: 18 May 2022