Souterrain in Dromore (dunkerron South By.)

This severely disturbed site (KE101-001----), no longer in use by the late nineteenth century, is located in a forestry plantation on a SW slope overlooking the Blackwater river. The unenclosed burial area measures 20.7m N-S x 20.3m E-W. Trees have recently been planted within it. The site is bisected by a fire-prevention trench and a modern track skirts it at SW. It is otherwise covered in a layer of dense vegetation, which largely obscures the N-S rows of upright grave-markers which occur throughout the site. The site is recorded in the OSNB as an 'old small fort which is a noted place for burying children' (Templeno, 45). It does not display any ringfort-type features, but an opening to a souterrain is located externally at SW. This measures 1.1m wide x .55m high and leads into an earth-tunnelled passage which extends to NE and measures .7m high and 1.2m wide. A depression, centrally located in the site's interior, may indicate its further extension in this direction. 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. 999. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 30 July 2013