Calluragh Burial Ground, Oratory — Baile An Bhaoithín

National Monument No. 10037 Calluragh burial ground/An Raingiléis: This early Christian settlement, lies on a fairly steep SE facing slope of Croaghmarhin and commands a magnificent view in all directions. The circular wall encloses an area measuring 68m N-S x 61m E-W in diameter and a roadway bisects the site E-W, isolating a small part of the S portion of the enclosure. The N part of the site is occupied by a number of low grave mounds which probably relate to the use of the site as a calluragh burial ground. The E sector is occupied by a ruined oratory, 2 leachts and a cross-slab, and a possible hut site lies a little N of centre. A large stone cross now stands in the road fence about 14m to ESE of the enclosure and a well has also been recorded at the site. The enclosure wall varies from .6 to 3m in width and stands up to 2m high in parts. It has obviously undergone much rebuilding and repair and it is not clear to what extent the original wall is now visible. Some sections, for instance at SW, directly N of the road, appear to be of recent origin but the large boulder construction of other sections, for instance the outer face in the E sector, may be part of the original wall. The original entrance is no longer apparent, the gap at N probably being a secondary feature. The short stretch of walling, 1.2m wide x .8m high, that crosses the SE part of the enclosure may have been part of an internal dividing wall, and the linear bank of earth and stone, 2.65m wide x .3m high, that lies W of the leachts may be a continuation of this. Oratory (KE042-094003-): The rectangular dry stone oratory, measuring 3.6m E-W x 2.6m N-S internally, now lacks its corbelled roof. Only the upper .5 to .9m of the N S and W walls are visible and the E wall is almost entirely obscured by collapse. The walls vary from 1.3 to 1.9m in thickness; an external offset, c. 0.3m deep and returned on all exposed sides, is surfaced by large flags which oversail the lower courses by c. 0.15m. The splayed lintelled doorway in the W wall inclines in elevation and the upper pivot for this door, a holed stone .45 x .36 m, projects from the internal wall face. Leachts: The large mound of stones that lies W of the oratory probably marks the location of 2 leacht features. It measures c. 10m N-S x 9m E-W overall and includes much quartz. The N leacht measures c. 3.6m N-S x 3.1m E-W and its W side is marked by 2 upright stones, its S and E sides by the remains of drystone facing and its N side by possible traces of stone facing. The S leacht is less well-defined. Its S side is marked by a single course of drystone facing and single upright stones probably mark its E and W limits. Cross-slab (KE042-094005-): The visible portion of the stone, .9m high x .78m wide, is almost circular in elevation but its shaft is now set deeply in the ground. Both faces are decorated with a Maltese cross within a circle with a 2nd circle lying .04 to .06m outside the 1st. Holes occur at the centre of each cross but these do not form a complete perforation. Stone-cross (KE042-094007-): This is 1.23m high at present but the shaft is now deeply buried and its true height is not apparent. Hut Site: A low earth and stone mound, .25m high, encloses a roughly rectangular area measuring 4.9m N-S x 1.85m E-W. Well (KE042-094008-): Curran (no. 15) recorded 'a sunken well reached by 14 steps' at or near the enclosure. This is probably the same feature described by O'Sullivan (1931, 525) as 'a stone stairs descending 20 steps or so' on the side of the road within the enclosure, and it is possible that it was a souterrain (KE042-094010-) and not a well. Graves: These stony mounds measure no more than .25m in height x 1.8 to 2.5m in length and incorporate a considerable quantity of quartz. A roughly circular arrangement of large stones, close to the enclosure wall at N, may also mark a grave, and other graves have been uncovered outside the enclosure, on the road side opposite the stone cross (O'Sullivan). The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 827. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 8 August 2013