Souterrain in Carn Beg

In pasture, on elevated ground in undulating terrain. A lintelled opening to the souterrain is visible at ground level, The opening is little more than a narrow horizontal slit or gap (Wth 1m NNW−SSE; H 0.25m) at ground level, partly blocked with loose stones. The lintel covering the opening consists of a large horizontal limestone slab (L 1.2m NNW−SSE; D 0.35-0.4m), visible in section beneath c. 0.2-0.3m of sod/topsoil. The gap is too narrow to allow easy access to the souterrain, however, it allows a glimpse of a chamber or passage extending to WSW or W. From the opening there is a steep, stone-strewn slope to the floor of the chamber. The walls are of drystone construction and the roof consists of a row of flat limestone slabs. Loose stones lie on the chamber floor. Immediately in front of/to E of the opening there is a shallow depression (Wth c. 1m NNW−SSE; c. 3m ENW−WSW), bordered at E by a close-set line (L 3-5m NNW−SSE) of low partly sod-covered stones, barely protrude from the ground surface on a roughly NW−SE axis. Their significance is uncertain; in parts they resemble wall footings (Wth c. 0.8-1m), possibly remnants of a wall associated with the souterrain or with an enclosure associated with the souterrain, or possibly remnants of a later field wall. Some of the stones may simply be part of a natural seam of bedrock. Immediately to S of the souterrain is an oval field clearance cairn (9.5m NW−SE; 6.6m NE−SW; H 1.3m) consisting of a domed, broadly-slumped heap of loose stones. A second roughly circular field clearance cairn (diam. c. 5m; H 0.5m at W, 1.5m at E) is located c. 5m NNE of the souterrain. It is heaped against a SE-facing slope so that it has a broad slump on the E side. An account of the souterrain published in the Irish Press newspaper on 20th June 1933 described it as a roughly oval, drystone structure (L c. 7m; Wth 3-3.5m; H c. 2m) with slightly corbelled drystone walls supporting flat roofing slabs (SMR file). Attached images: MA093-066----_01.JPG Opening to souterrain viewed from E MA093-066----_02.JPG Opening to souterrain viewed from SE MA093-066----_03.JPG Possible wall to E of souterrain MA093-066----_04.JPG chamber interior viewed from E MA093-066----_05.JPG Two field clearance cairns adjacent to souterrain, viewed from NE Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 7 December 2022