Oratory (in Ruins) — Scariff

Oratory: Scariff Island is located 5 km SW of Hog's Head, on the N side of the mouth of Kenmare Bay. The ecclesiastical site on it is reached by a path that leads uphill from the landing place at Coosaneeve/Cuas na Naomh, on the island's NE shore. It consists of the remains of a terraced oval enclosure, within which is the site of an oratory and a burial ground, as well as a nineteenth century house. Outside the enclosure at SW is a souterrain. The outline of the oval enclosure (KE105A-001002-) is preserved only at S, where it is traversed by a NE-SW field wall, but a number of curving stretches of field boundaries at N may reflect its limits here. The enclosure measures c. 80m NW SE x c. 55m NE-SW. Its interior slopes steepy downwards to SE, and features two level terraces. The modern house stands on the lower terrace, which measures 13m wide and is delineated at SE by the traversing field wall. The 1.8m high face of the upper terrace features intermittent stretches of a curving drystone revetment. The structure marked 'Oratory' (KE105A-001001-) on the OS maps is located on this terrace, and is preserved as the low sod-covered foundations of a rectangular building which measures c. 7.5m NE-SW x 5.5m NW-SE externally. Henry noted a ceallúnach (KE105A-001003-) 'without any feature of interest' c. 90m NE of the oratory (1957, 146). No surface trace of this is now apparent. It may be the disused burial place, noted in the OSNB (Kilcrohane, 29), where Francis O'Sullivan, Provincial of the Irish Franciscan Order, was buried following his execution on Scariff Island in 1653 (Browne 1898, 321). The entrance to a souterrain (KE105A-001004-) is located just outside the enclosure at SW. Built into a steep slope, it measures .4m high x 1.1m wide and gives access to a passage which extends 2.8m WNW before turning to WSW for a further 4.1m, where it is blocked with collapse. The passage is up to .9m high and averages .9m wide. It is roofed with lintels, and its well-built drystone walls corbel inwards as they rise. Lewis noted 'the vestiges of an ancient hermitage (KE105A-001005-) or cell . . . covered by a mound of earth and stones raised by the Trigonometrical Surveyors of Ireland' on the summit of Scariff Island (1837, 546). There is no apparent trace of this potential site. 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. 967. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 30 July 2013