Rock art in Bunbinnia

This large boulder is located in the upper reaches of Cummeenduff Glen, on the S side of Macgillycuddy's Reeks. Its flat upper surface is partly overlain by peat, and the exposed motifs are poorly preserved. These include four cup-and-rings, one of which features an arc of pockmarks around its central element and a radial groove. Two of the cup-and-ring motifs are very small. About fifty simple cupmarks occur on the decorated surface, as do a number of linear grooves and several irregularly shaped picked areas. See attached drawing of rock art taken from O'Sullivan and Sheehan 1996, Fig. 43 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. 263. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 28 July 2013 In mountain heath (219m OD), on a small hillock, overlooking the Gearhameen river to SE and nestled high up in valley of Cummeenduff Glen, located between Broaghnabinnia, to N and Knocklomena mountains, to S. There are no direct views of the valley below and the monument is overlooked by higher ground in all directions. A slightly rough and fractured sandstone rock outcrop (dims. 2.72m NE-SW; 1.65m NW-SE; max. H 0.35m at W) with a sub-rectangular decorated surface. The motifs cover most of the ESE-facing aspect and include approximately fifty cupmarks (min. diam. 1.5cm- max. diam. 5cm; min. D 2mm - max. D 11mm) recorded across most areas of the decorated surface, with dense concentrations to E and W and a scatter to N and S. The cluster at E forms a distinct pattern whereby four pairs of cupmarks form two parallel lines. A two-cup-and-ring motif (overall dims. 13cm x 15cm; ring Wth 2-2.5cm; D 2mm; max. cup diam. 2.5cm; max. D 3mm) is located on the upper portion of the decorated surface, at W. A picked cup-and-ring motif (overall diam. 7cm; D 3-4mm) having an irregular picked cup enclosed by a ring of individual pickmarks, is abutting to SE. A cup-and-partial-ring motif (max. diam. 14cm; ring Wth 1.5cm; D 1-2mm; cup diam. 5cm; D 5mm) is adjacent to E. An extremely small cup-and-ring motif (overall diam. 4cm; ring Wth 8-10mm; D 2mm; cup diam. 1cm; D 4mm) is located toward the southern area of the decorated surface. Various pickmarks (average diam. 7-8mm; D 2mm) are concentrated along W-border of the decorated rock face. Some linear and rectilinear elements depicted by O’Sullivan & Sheehan (1996, 81; Fig. 43) are no longer evident suggesting natural erosion and additional sod cover across portion of stone at ground level, to E. This is one of the most isolated rock art sites in the country. Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 6 July 2017