Shrine in Church Island (iveragh By., Castlequin Ed)

National Monument No. 59. Shrine (KE079-032010-): This feature is located in the SE sector of the island, in a natural rock hollow. Trapezoidal in plan, it is built of a combination of slate slabs set on end, coursed stonework and slotted corner stones, only two of which survive. Excavation indicated that it may have been extended to W, and probably measured c. 1.1m long originally. It measures .5m wide at E, broadens towards W, and has an average depth of .76m from the tops of the side slabs. Although the contents of the shrine were disturbed, it probably served to hold reinterred human bone. It may have originally resembled the corner-post shrine at Cool East (KE078-009004-), Valencia Island. 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. 927. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 29 July 2013