Souterrain in Caher East

On the S side of an area of outcropping rock, on the crest of a low hill overlooking the valley of the Roughty River to the S. This souterrain was discovered during the construction of a farm road and was investigated in 1987 when access to it was gained through two openings in its roof where lintels had been removed. It was described as consisting of two mainly stone-built passages, roofed with lintels, with some rock-cut sections (SMR file). Passage I (L 18.5m; Wth 0.85m; H 1.3m) curves irregularly from S to the NE. An air-vent (0.25m x 0.2m) was noted just beneath the roof level at the NE end of this passage. The entrance (Wth 0.62m; H 0.6m) to passage 2 is 1.55m from the S end of passage 1. Passage 2 is L-shaped and extends 1.95m to the W before turning sharply to the SW for a further 4.6m. It is at a lower level than passage 1 and access down slope is facilitated by four steps, two of which are rock-cut and two of drystone construction. A drystone-built creepway (L 1.15m; Wth 0.4m; H 0.5m) extends to the SE near the S end of the E wall. The openings which provided access in 1987 have been backfilled and a small opening to the W of the farm road now allows a limited view inside the souterrain. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Kerry. Volume I: South-West Kerry' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 30 May 2011