Souterrain in Ochtaibh

Not marked on the OS maps, two souterrain passages, presumably related, are located close together in rough pasture on a N facing slope overlooking the Cummeragh river valley. The two N facing openings are located 4.9m apart, and each provides access to a passage which extends to S. Surmounting the openings are low, irregular mounds of stony composition, about 1m in height. A low, grass-grown bank extends E from the mounds, and other short stretches of walling and scattered piles of stone occur nearby. These features form no regular pattern and may be associated with the souterrain. The opening at E measures .8m wide and .6m high and gives access to a N-S aligned passage which is 3.5m long, 1.4m high and .9m wide. Its walls are of drystone construction, regularly coursed, and it is roofed by seven lintels. Its S end is formed by one large slab. The second, lintelled opening at W measures 1m wide and .23m high and drops down 2m to a 3m long, N-S aligned passage. The S section of this passage is rock-cut, and close to the S end of the E side-wall is an oval-shaped creepway, measuring .9m x .6m, which is rock tunnelled. It leads into an inaccessible passage which appears to extend to SE and may communicate with the passage at E. 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. 897. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 29 July 2013