SURVEY OF THE MEGALITHIC TOMBS OF IRELAND VOLUME IV COUNTIES CORK - KERRY LIMERICK - TIPPERARY Ruaidhri de Valera and Sean O Nuallain • The wedge-tomb, Keamcorravooly (Co. 24), from South. SURVEY OF THE MEGALITHIC TOMBS OF IRELAND Ruaidhri de Valera and Sean 6 Nuallain VOLUME IV COUNTIES CORK - KERRY LIMERICK - T1PPERARY DUBLIN PUBLISHED BY THE STATIONERY OFFICE 1982 To be purchased from th^ GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES OFFICE, G-P.O. ARCADE, DUBLIN 1 or through any Bookseller. Price: &5' 00 S.0.179/81.133714.520.Sp.2/82.Mount Salus Press Limited. FOREWORD The untimely death of Professor Ruaidhri de Valera, on the 28th October 1978, brought to an end a fruitful association with the Ordnance Survey which had lasted for more than three decades. He was appointed Placenames Officer in the Ordnance Survey in February 1946, became Archaeology Officer the following year and served in the dual roles of Archaeology Officer and Senior Placenames Officer until he took up his appointment to the Chair of Celtic Archaeology in University College, Dublin in November 1957. Thereafter his connection with the Ordnance Survey was maintained through his constant collaboration in the production of this Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Ruaidhri de Valera's Celtic Studies training together with his love and understanding of the language and culture of Ireland fitted him well for the appointments he held at the Ordnance Survey and enabled him to revive and foster the traditions of scholarship established by his famous predecessors, O'Donovan, O'Curry and Petrie. Throughout his time here he was involved in research on Placenames and when the personnel of An Coimisiun Logainmneacha were attached to this Office it was under his guidance that the work was re-organised and set on its present successful course. But it was in the field of archaeology that de Valera made his most notable contribution to the endeavours of the Ordnance Survey. During his ten years as Archaeology Officer the fourfold classification of Irish megalithic tombs was settled and the distinctive distribution patterns of the monuments emerged. These advances, combined with the evidence provided by the findings from excavated tombs, led to the recognition of lines of development within the series and the interpretation of these in terms of folk movements. Thus was established a solid framework in Irish prehistory which was to have a significant effect on the understanding and study of Neolithic and Early Bronze Age communities in Ireland and Britain and the problems of their continental origins. The first three volumes of the Megalithic Survey appeared, under joint authorship, during Professor de Valera's University career and the present volume was nearing completion at the time of his death. With fifteen counties now published and the fieldwork completed in eleven others the survey is now entering its final phase. The task of completing the work now falls to Dr. O Nuallain and additional resources are being provided to enable the project to be brought to an early conclusion. The achievement of this aim will stand as a fitting memorial to Ruaidhri de Valera whose life's work was centred around the study of our megalithic ancestors. Muiris C. Walsh, Assistant Director of Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey Office, Dublin. August, 1980. Ui CONTENTS ALPHABETICAL INDEX TO DESCRIPTIONS, PLANS AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF TOMBS, ARRANGED BY COUNTIES ....... IX NUMERICAL LIST OF TOMBS, ARRANGED BY COUNTIES XI ALPHABETICAL INDEX TO SITES IN APPENDICES, ARRANGED BY COUNTIES Xlll INTRODUCTION . XV Previous accounts of the Tombs XV Co. Cork xv Co. Kerry xvii Co. Limerick . xvii Co. Tipperary. xviii Scope and Plan of Present Volume xviii Conventions used in Plans . XX PART I. DESCRIPTIONS Co. Cork Descriptions of Megalithic Tombs .... 1 Appendix: Sites marked "Cromlech" etc. on O.S. maps which are rejected as Megalithic Tombs or which have not sufficient evidence to warrant their inclusion in the main lists ...... 43 Co Kerry - Descriptions of Megalithic Tombs . 55 Appendix: Sites marked "Cromlech" etc. on O.S. maps which are rejected as Megalithic Tombs or which have not sufficient evidence to warrant their inclusion in the main lists ...... 69 Co. Limerick - Descriptions of Megalithic Tombs . 71 Appendix: Sites marked "Cromlech" etc. on O.S. maps which are rejected as Megalithic Tombs or which have not sufficient evidence to warrant their inclusion in the main lists ...... 77 Co. Tipperary —Descriptions of Megalithic Tombs . 81 Appendix: Sites marked "Cromlech" etc. on O.S. maps which are rejected as Megalithic Tombs or which have not sufficient evidence to warrant their inclusion in the main lists ...... 97 v VI CONTENTS LIST OF PASSAGE-TOMBS Co. Limerick 101 Co. Tipperary 101 PART 2. DISCUSSION 1. MORPHOLOGY Wedge-tombs: . Galleries Porticos Septal-stones . Main Chambers East End-chambers Outer-walling over Facade Buttressing Cairn and Kerb Orientation . Portal-tombs: Court-tomb: 2. FINDS FROM THE TOMBS. 3. DISTRIBUTION . The Prehistoric Background The Siting of the Tombs Regions Region 1 — Co. Tipperary Region 2 The lowlands of Limerick and the north of Cork Region 3 North-west Kerry and the adjoining Highlands of west Limerick Region 4— The Highlands and Valleys of mid-Cork Region 5— The lowlands of South-east Cork . Region 6— The lowlands of South Cork Region 7 The Mountainous Peninsulas of Kerry and West Cork .... The economy of the Wedge-tomb Builders 4. THE PLACE OF THE TOMBS IN THE IRISH SERIES Distributional Factors ..... Date and Cultive Context .... Origin and Foreign relationships A LIST OF IRISH WEDGE-TOMBS ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY BY COUNTIES REFERENCES ....... CONTENTS Vll PLANS AND SECTIONS ....... Figs 1 34 MAP OF PUBLISHED VOLUMES OF THE SURVEY .... Fig. 35 ORIENTATION DIAGRAM OF WEDGE-TOMBS .... Fig. 36 INDEX MAPS Co. Cork ........ Fig. 37 Cos. Limerick and Kerry ...... Fig. 38 Co. Tipperary ....... Fig. 39 MAP OF PHYSICAL FEATRURES IN COS. CORK AND KERRY . Fig. 40 GEOLOGICAL MAP OF SOUTH MUNSTER ..... Fig. 41 MAP OF NORTH CO. TIPPERARY SHOWING HEAVY DRIFT SOIL AND NATURAL COPPER DEPOSITS ....... Fig. 42 MAP OF WEDGE-TOMBS AND NATURAL COPPER DEPOSITS IN COS. CORK AND KERRY ........ Fig. 43 DISTRIBUTION MAPS OF IRISH WEDGE-TOMBS AND BRONZE AGE CISTS Fig- 43 DISTRIBUTION MAP OF IRISH WEDGE-TOMBS, SHOWING COUNTIES . Fig. 44 DISTRIBUTION MAP OF IRISH WEDGE-TOMBS WITH SEPTAL STONES AND PORTICOS ........ Fig. 45 PHOTOGRAPHS ........ Plates 1 -30 ORDNANCE SURVEY MAP 1:250,000 Sheet 5 . In wallet on back cover ALPHABETICAL INDEX TO DESCRIPTIONS, PLANS AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF TOMBS Descrip­ Photo- Descrip­ Photo- Townland Number tion Plan graph(s) Townland Number tion Plan graph(s) Page Fig(s). Plate Page Fig(s)- Plate CO. CORK Kilmaclenine (Co. 1) 1 land 2 2 Knockane (Co. 30) 21 11 9 Ahaglaslin (Co. 55) 37 18 16 Knockane (Co. 31) 22 11 9 Altar (Co. 61) 41 17 18 Knockglass (Co. 20) 15 7 6 Ardaragh West (Co. 54) 36 16 15 Knocknagappul (Co. 17) 13 5 5 Arderrawinny (Co. 62) 41 18 17 Knocknagoun (Co. 9) 8 3 3 Arduslough (Co. 59) 40 17 17 Labbacallee (Co. 3) 2 4 1 Ballydivlin (Co. 56) 38 16 16 Lackabaun (Co. 38) 27 13 12 Ballynahown (Co. 50) 34 15 14 Lackaduv (Co. 14) 11 6 4 Ballyvoge Beg (Co. 57) 39 16 16 Laghtneill (Co. 32) 22 10 10 Bealick (Co. 23) 17 8 7 Leenane (Co. 60) 40 17 17 Beennamweel East (Co. 5) 4 3 2 Manning (Co. 2) 2 2 1 Belrose Lower (Co. 47) 33 14 14 Bofickil (Co. 49) 34 15 14 Rathaneague (Co. 12) 9 5 4 Ryefield East (Co. 11) 9 5 3 Caherbaroul (Co. 18) 14 7 6 Caherbirrane (Co. 16) 12 19 5 Scrahanard (Co. 15) 12 5 5 Caherdowney (Co. 8) 7 3 3 Slieveowen (Co. 45) 31 14 13 Cappeen East (Co. 46) 32 14 13 Carrigdangan (Co. 40) 28 — — Teemahillane (Co. 51) 35 18 15 Carrignamuck (Co. 35) 25 11 11 Tooreen (Co. 58) 39 16 16 Carrigonirtane (Co. 13) 10 6 4 Clashbredane (Co. 44) 31 14 13 Cloghboola (Co. 36) 26 15 11 Cloghboola (Co. 41) 29 13 12 Clogher (Co. 39) 28 12 11 Coollicka (Co. 10) 8 5 3 CO' . KERRY Comery (Co. 34) 24 12 10 Cornery (Co. 37) 26 10 11 Ballycarberry Crinnaloo North (Co. 4) 4 2 2 West (Ke. 12) 62 25 21 Ballyferriter (Ke. 2) 56 — Derrygortna- Ballyhoneen (Ke. 1) 55 20 18 cloghy (Co. 28) 20 9 8 Derryriordane Caherard (Ke. 3) 56 20 18 South (Co. 33) 23 10 10 Caherlehillan (Ke. 9) 60 22 21 Derryvacorneen (Co. 27) 20 9 8 Caherlehillan (Ke. 10) 61 22 20 Dromduff (Co. 22) 17 — 7 Cool East (Ke. 11) 61 24 21 Coom (Ke. 16) 65 25 22 Glantane East (Co. 7) 6 3 2 Coomatloukane (Ke. 17) 66 25 23 Gortafludig (Co. 25) 18 8 8 Coomatloukane (Ke. 18) 66 25 23 Gortanacra (Co. 21) 16 7 6 Coomatloukane (Ke. 19) 67 25 23 Cooma tloukane (Ke. 20) 67 25 23 Inchinaneave (Co. 29) 21 10 9 Crohane (Ke. 14) 63 23 22 Inchincurka (Co. 42) 29 13 12 Island (Co. 6) 5 4 2 Derreen (Ke. 7) 59 23 20 Doonmanagh (Ke. 8) 59 21 20 Keamcorravooly (Co. 24) 18 8 7 Keamcorravooly (Co. 26) 19 7 8 Killoe (Ke. 13) 62 23 22 Keenrath (Co. 43) 30 13 13 Kilberrihert (Co. 19) 14 6 6 Maumnahaltora (Ke. 4) 57 21 19 Kilcatherine (Co. 48) 33 15 14 Maumnahaltora (Ke. 5) 57 24 19 Killough East (Co. 53) 36 12 15 Maumnahaltora (Ke. 6) 58 24 19 Kilmackowen (Co. 52) 35 15 15 Meelagulleen (Ke. 15) 64 22 22 ix DesCnp. Photo- Descrip- Photo- Townland Number tion Plan graph(s) Townland Number tion Plan graph(s) Fig(s).