Outlined — Garranes (glanarought By., Banawn Ed)

In pasture, on the lower S-facing slopes of Barrerneen. A subrectangular area (c. 54m NE-SW; c. 50m NW-SE) enclosed by an earthen bank (Wth 2m; H 1m) lies within a rectangular, stone-walled enclosure (82m N-S; 62m E-W) which has a pillared entrance gate at NE. The graveyard is in occasional use. Near the N end is the ruin of Temple Feaghna church (KE102-038001-). The earliest headstone noted dates to 1815. Low uninscribed grave-markers were noted, especially to S and SE. There is a mound of loose stones at the centre. According to Dennehy (1997, 161), the use of the graveyard as 'a ceallúnach is substantiated by the presence of three short, low mounds on the N side of the enclosure, between the inner and outer enclosing elements'. An additional grave mound of an infant was noted by Dennehy (ibid.) to the W, also 'within the inner and outer enclosing elements'. A bullaun stone (KE102-038003-) lies c. 20m to the S and there is a holy well (KE102-038004-) c. 50m to the E. Another bullaun stone (KE102-038005-), now in the roadside fence c. 50m to the N, is said locally to have been formerly in the graveyard. Compiled by: Elizabeth Byrne, Ursula Egan and Sheila Ronan, Archaeological Survey Unit, University College, Cork. In 2009 a graveyard survey carried out by Bernard O’Mahony of Aegis Archaeology Ltd. recorded the following details about Temple Feaghna (KE102-038001-) Burial Ground; ‘Feaghna graveyard is located in the townland of Garranes, parish of Kilcaskan, barony of Glanarought, in south Co. Kerry, approximately 7km southeast of the town of Kenmare and 4km west of the Kerry/Cork county boundary. The site is on a west facing slope on the south side of the hill at Barrerneen, 1.5km to the northeast of the village of Bunane. The graveyard is a within a sub-rectangular enclosed area to the west of a local road leading to the southeastern slopes of Barrerneen. The site was originally indicated on the 1841 1st edition 6’’ Ordnance Survey map as ‘Templefeaghna (in ruins)’ with the holy well ‘Toberfeaghna’ and on the 1895 25’’ Ordnance Survey map as ‘Temple feaghna (in ruins)’ and ‘Burial Ground’ with the holy well ‘Toberfeaghna’. The extents of the burial ground, a sub-rectangular enclosed space, as shown on the 1841 Ordnance Survey map appears to be the remaining enclosing bank that is still present in the graveyard. The 1895 map shows a change with the enclosure further enclosed within a rectangular boundary wall. Feaghna graveyard measures approximately 75m north-south by 75m east-west. It is located on high ground overlooking the valley of the Coomeelan Stream to the east and south. The eastern side of the graveyard slopes steeply to an adjacent roadway. The graveyard is accessed from this adjacent roadway at the northeast corner by a gravel covered ramp. The graveyard is enclosed on all sides by a random rubble stone wall. A gravel pathway gives access from the entrance to the centre and north and east sides of the graveyard. The ruins of a medieval church stand to the north of the centre of the graveyard. The graveyard contains 65 named headstones, 29 of which are in enclosed plots and 2 of which are ex-situ. There are 2 named tombs, 9 un-named tombs and 246 low un-inscribed stone grave markers in the graveyard. All features within the graveyard except 2 low un-inscribed stone grave markers at the northwest corner are contained within an enclosure made up of a low earthen bank on the north, west and south sides and a natural steep slope on the east side. A short section of the bank is lower on the north of the western side and this may have been an entrance to the interior at one time. A shallow ditch is visible on the inside of the bank along the western side. This enclosed area is sub-circular in shape. Though the Archaeological Survey of Ireland lists 2 bullaun stones at the site, only one can be found and this is located approximately 12m to the south of the southern boundary of the graveyard. A fragmented rotary quern stone has been placed on the bullaun stone (KE102-038003-). The boundary wall is in good order apart from some collapse at a short section on the south side. This collapse may have occurred with the movement of people over the wall from the graveyard to the nearby bullaun stone. The ground throughout the graveyard is uneven but pathways throughout are well maintained. A short section of the enclosure bank has been removed on the north side and another section appears to have been removed at the northeast corner. The presence of the gravel pathways through these breaks in the bank would suggest that these sections of the bank were removed to aid access through the graveyard. Some large trees are growing on the top of the bank on the north and west sides' (O'Mahony 2009). See attached plan of graveyard courtesy of Aegis Archaeology Ltd. See attached photographs courtesy of Amanda Clarke Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 28 September 2022