Souterrain in Dunkerron

The blocked entrance to a drystone-built souterrain (KE092-035002-) is located in the NW internal wall-face of the N hut. Access is now gained about 3m to NW, through an opening formed by the removal of a number of roofing slabs of a NW-SE aligned passage. This passage, with slightly corbelled walls, extends for 9.6m and is .8m wide and .45m high. Collapse has considerably raised its floor level. At its NW end it turns towards W for a distance of 3.8m. Its N side-wall is regularly coursed, while that at S is formed from bedrock. Here the passage increases to 1.35m in height and 1m in width. At its W end is a lintelled creepway, .85m long, .55m wide and .6m high, the S side of which is formed by a single thick slab, set on end. The creepway gives access to another passage which continues W for a further 3.15m. A possible air vent is located midway along its S side. The passage, with coursed drystone walls which incline slightly inwards towards the roof, measures 1.4m high and .9m wide. It broadens at its W end, where it gives access at NW to an irregularly shaped natural limestone cave [KE092-035005-], 5.45m N-S x 6.3m E-W, which is host to a colony of bats (Rhinolophus hipposideros; information: M. O'Sullivan). The cave is on average 1m high, and features an uneven bedrock floor which slopes down to SE. A narrow rock-cut passage, 2.5m long, extends from its W end and leads into a small rectangular chamber, apparently also of natural origin. It measures approximately 3m by 1.5m. An accumulation of earth prevents access to its interior. A number of human bones removed from the floor of the larger cave in 1991 were identified as those of an adult aged at least thirty years (information: C. Power, UCC). Other bones, also reputedly human, were recovered from the cave in 1953 and were sent to England for 'inspection' (OPW). 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. 583. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 29 July 2013