Souterrain in Coars

Two slabs, set on edge, mark the entrance to a souterrain located in the NE quadrant of the interior of the enclosure. The entrance measures .75m wide x .45m high, and leads into a 3m long passage that runs to W. The passage is built of coursed drystone walling and is roofed with lintels. It averages 1.25m high and 1.1m wide, and an even spread of stones lines its floor. Abutting the S side of the passage are three upright slabs. A narrow creepway occurs in the W end-wall and is formed of two jambs and a lintel. Measuring .56m high and .38m wide, it is .55m long and gives access to a second passage, aligned N-S. This passage, with drystone walls and roofed with lintels, is c. 4m long but its S end is blocked by a mound of earth and stone. A possible air-vent is located at its N end. The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 724. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 29 July 2013 This drystone-built souterrain, not marked on the OS maps, occurs on a level terrace on the upper NE facing slopes of Keelnagore. A short distance to S is a semicircular ring of boulders, and to E is an 8m long, ill-defined, bank. These features may indicate that an above-ground structure was associated with the souterrain, but their poor state of preservation precludes classification. The souterrain consists of two rectangular chambers linked by a creepway. The entrance to the first chamber faces NE and measures .75m x .44m; two slabs set on edge stand outside it at SE. The chamber extends W for a distance of 3m. It is 1.25m high and 1.1m wide and its drystone walls are roughly built and capped with lintels; three upright slabs abut the S side-wall. The creepway which connects it with the second chamber occurs in its W end-wall; it measures .55m x .4m x .55m long. The second chamber is aligned roughly N-S. A small air-vent is located in the N end-wall, close to roof level. The chamber is at least 5m long, but its S end is blocked by in accumulation of fill. The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 862. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 29 July 2013