Souterrain in Gort Mór

A souterrain was discovered in June 1981 while excavating the site of the new National School for Ballyferriter. It was subsequently inspected by Sweetman (OPW). The accessible portion consisted of a rectangular chamber, aligned ENE-WSW, which measured 3.3 x 1.3m x 1.24m in height; the original height is unknown as the recent disturbance introduced a quantity of earth which partially filled the chamber. The drystone-built walls were almost perpendicular and were capped, at the W end, by 2 large lintels. The E, N and S walls were continuous, with rounded corners at the E end; to W the side walls butted against the end wall. An air-vent, .2 x .25m, was observed in the W end of the N wall close to the roofing slab. A porthole slab, at the SSW corner, defined the original entrance from a presumed passage, but access was blocked by clay fill. The aperture, at ground level, measured .5m in width and .5m in height. The souterrain was subsequently filled back and no surface trace remains. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 770. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013