Souterrain in Na Cluainte

Situated in low-lying pastureland about 1/2 mile from the SW shoreline of Smerwick Harbour, this souterrain was inspected in 1979 by Manning (OPW) at which time the remains consisted of a low, irregularly-shaped oblong mound containing traces of a passage and 2 chambers. The mound, composed of stones and some clay and apparently man-made, measured c. 18m E-W x 10m N-S and rose 1 to 1.5m above the general field level. Leading S from the NW edge of the mound was a short stretch of open passage, c. 2m long x .6m wide. The side walls were constructed with upright stones, c. 0.5m high, along the base with drystone walling above this to a total height of .8 to .9m. This passage opened into a chamber, destroyed before the site was inspected, and a 2nd chamber lay to the E. The original entrance may have been located where the passage met the edge of the mound. Small deposits of cockle and periwinkle shells were found in the mound. Also found was part of the upper disc of a rotary quern with a raised moulding around the central perforation and 'Kerry dressing' on the underside, both features typical of the Kerry quern (Caulfield 1969, 72). The monument has changed little since 1979 though the drystone walling of the passage has mostly collapsed. W of the site, at a distance of c. 20 to 30m, extensive traces of old field walls and a house site of uncertain, though possibly post-medieval date, were noted. Little trace of these survives now, possibly as a result of land reclamation. However, 8 to 9m W of the souterrain, the remains of a semi-circular enclosure, of uncertain date and function, abut the S side of an E-W field boundary. An internal area, 13.8m E-W and 10.6m N-S, is enclosed by a low, stony bank now considerably gapped and no more than .3 to .4m high. It may have continued N of the boundary but that field has been reclaimed and no surface remains are evident. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 753. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013