Caher — Cill Rialaigh

Caher and Calluragh Burial Ground: Situated on the steep SE slopes of Bolus Head, from which it commands a magnificent view over the mouth of Kenmare Bay to the Beara Peninsula at S, this site comprises a strong cashel wall which encloses an oratory, a circular hut, three rectangular buildings, a cross-slab and a covered passage. Just outside the enclosure, at N, is a rectangular platform with a leacht and a cross-slab. This site was in use as a ceallúnach until the nineteenth century (OSNB Prior, 51), and a holy well is located c. 90m to SW (KE097-059----) The enclosure measures 23m N-S x 21.5 E-W internally. Its drystone-built enclosing wall only rises appreciably above internal ground level at the uphill N side, where it measures 1.3m high and is flush with external ground level. Its inner face is traceable around most of the site. The wall averages 2.5m thick from NE through to W, and it rises to a maximum external height of 2.9m on its downhill S side, where it features a slight batter. It consists of a rubble core, faced internally and externally with roughly coursed, large, radially laid slabs. A smooth and uniform external finish is achieved. An external bulge at SSE features a different style of coursing, and may represent rebuilding. The main entrance to the site is at SW and consists of a poorly preserved passage, 1.5m wide and 3.6m long, which is flanked on both sides by orthostats. A pair of opposed jambstones occurs at its inner end. Two long slabs, probably fallen orthostats, lie in the entrance passage. Extending out from the S side of the entrance is a short stone-revetted terrace which may be traced intermittently to SW, where it is edged by large upright slabs. Two huts (KE097-042---- & KE097-043----) are located on this terrace, c. 80m W of the ecclesiastical site. Scattered traces of similar terracing occur between the site and the cliffs at S. Two large niches occur in the inner wall-face, 3m from the N side of the entrance. Roofed with large lintels, these have maximum dimensions of .6m x 1m x 1.85m deep and .7m x .7m x 1.4m deep at N and S respectively. A second entrance to the enclosure is preserved at NE, close to the rectangular platform structure. Its coursed jambs are 1.35m apart. The interior of the enclosure slopes markedly down to SE. Oratory: The rear of this rectangular drystone building almost abuts the inner face of the sites enclosing element at E. Measuring c. 5.8m E-W x 4.8m N-S externally, it now lacks its corbelled roof. The SW angle stands to an internal height of 1.6m, but elsewhere the walls, averaging 1.3m thick, do not exceed 1.5m in height. The wall at N is flush with external ground level. The oratory measures 3.25m E-W x 2.25 N-S internally, and was lit by a splayed ope located midway along its S wall. The W doorway, .7m wide at present ground level, inclines in elevation to .37m below the head. It is .8m high. Just above the level of its external lintel a slab, 1.1m long, projects .lm out from the wall-face. Cross-Slab (1): This slab stands on a low, stony mound which abuts the N side of the oratory. It is 1m high and measures .33m x .09m at base, tapering irregularly to a flat top. On its W face is an outline circle, the inner element of which is broken to accommodate an outline equal-armed cross with broadly hollowed angles. Centrally positioned within this is a linear Latin cross, whose shaft extends beyond the circle. Its upper end is furnished with a curving bar-terminal, while it terminates at base in a triangular expansion. Rectangular Buildings: (1) The poorly preserved remains of this structure are located a short distance NW of the oratory. Its SW wall is not apparent, but elsewhere the walls average 1.3m thick and feature rounded external angles. Internally the building measures 2.8m NW-SE and its lower courses, formed of large horizontally laid slabs, are visible at NE and NW. (2) The foundations of this structure, 5.3m NW-SE x 2.7m NE-SW internally, adjoin the inner face of the sites enclosing element at SE. The walls, .7m wide, survive only one to two courses in height and a possible entrance gap is located in the NW end-wall. It may be of relatively recent date. (3) Abutting the enclosure at SE, this structure measures 5.6m NW-SE x 2.6m NE-SW internally. Its internal angles are slightly rounded and the entrance occurs in the NW side-wall. The building may be of relatively recent date. Circular Hut and Covered Passage: This corbelled drystone hut is located in the NW quadrant of the enclosure. Its wall is preserved only at NW, where it is 1.35m high and c. 1.2 wide. It is faced internally with irregular horizontal courses of drystone masonry. The N jamb of a possible entrance occurs at E, and the hut probably had an internal diameter of c. 4.5m. Just outside it at SE is a low stony bank, from which a number of upright slabs protrude. A low lintelled passage is entered from the hut at SW. The opening measures .35m high and 1.05m wide and the passage, up to .8m high, extends to SW for 2.7m, where it is blocked by boulders. Its sides are carefully coursed with small slabs and the roofing slabs, which are almost flush with the present ground level of the enclosure, oversail them. Lynch stated that the passage ran to the external face of the enclosing rampart (1902b, 325), but this is not now evident. Neither does the passage appear to turn to SE, as suggested by Henry (1957, 111), though a number of large slabs occur adjacent to the passage in this position. Rectangular Platform: This large drystone structure is located 5m outside the enclosure at N. Built on a steep SE facing slope, it consists of a level rubble platform which is flush with external ground level at NW but rises 1.7m above it at its downslope end. The platform is faced with coursed masonry and intermittent basal upright slabs, and at its SE end the facing comprises alternate layers of long thick slabs and regularly coursed thin slabs. The upper surface of the platform is enclosed by a low wall, up to .5m high, and measures 8.7m NW-SE x 6.3m NE-SW. A .7m wide entrance occurs towards the downslope end of the SW side-wall, and an opposing gap at NE may represent a second entrance. On the surface of the platform is a denuded rectangular mound of stone, including some quartz, with some coursed facing apparent at SE. Measuring c. 5m NW-SE x c. 2.5m NE-SW, it may be a leacht. At its SW side stands a cross-slab (2). Cross-Slab: (2) This is 1.4m high and measures .28m x .08m at base. Its SW face features a tall, linear Latin cross ringed by two concentric circles. The shaft extends well beyond the outer circle and is surmounted by the transverse stroke of a H-shaped terminal, while a similar device is bisected by its lower end. The outer circle is interrupted on either side by the waist of the slab. 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. 951. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 30 July 2013