Iraghticonnor is a barony of County Kerry, in the historical province of Munster (Irish: Oireacht Uí Chonchúir), covering 413 km² of land. The barony records 544 NMS archaeological sites and 124 NIAH listed buildings, placing it at around the 24th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for sites per km². This means it is in the bottom third of all baronies for sites per km². Dated archaeological evidence runs from the Neolithic through to the Modern, spanning 8 of 9 archaeological periods, placing the barony in the 83rd percentile among 280 ROI baronies for chronological depth. This means it is in the top fifth of all baronies for chronological depth. The largest dated subset of recorded sites dates to the Iron Age. Logainm flags 54 placenames in the barony as carrying a recognised heritage root; the largest share — around 56% — are names associated with early Christian church and monastic foundations.
Heritage at a glance
Percentile rankings throughout this profile compare each barony only against the other 279 Republic of Ireland baronies.
The recorded heritage of Iraghticonnor
The National Monuments Service Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) is the statutory inventory of archaeological sites for the Republic of Ireland, maintained by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Sites recorded here include earthworks, ringforts, megalithic tombs, ecclesiastical remains, and post-medieval features; not every record is legally protected, but each is registered as a monument of archaeological interest.
The National Monuments Service records 544 archaeological sites in Iraghticonnor, putting it at the 24th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for sites per km². This means it is in the bottom third of all baronies for sites per km². Protection coverage is near-universal — 531 sites (98%) fall within a recorded monument protection zone, indicating an extensively surveyed landscape. The dominant category is defensive sites — ringforts, enclosures, hillforts, and stone forts (367 sites, 67% of the record). Ringfort – rath is the most prevalent type, making up 51% of the barony's recorded sites (279 records) — well above the ROI average of 20% across all baronies where this type occurs. Ringfort – rath is an earthen ringfort enclosed by a bank and external ditch — the most common Early Medieval farmstead, broadly dated 500–1000 AD. Other significant types include Enclosure (47) and Children's burial ground (24). Enclosure is a banked or ditched feature of uncertain type, used as a catch-all where the original function cannot be determined from surface evidence; Children's burial ground is an unconsecrated medieval and early-modern burial ground for unbaptised or stillborn children, often called a cillín or ceallúnach. Across the barony's 413 km², this gives a recorded density of 1.32 sites per km².
Most common monument types
Hover or tap a monument type to see its definition.
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Ringfort – rath an earthen ringfort enclosed by a bank and external ditch — the most common Early Medieval farmstead, broadly dated 500–1000 AD | 279 |
| Enclosure a banked or ditched feature of uncertain type, used as a catch-all where the original function cannot be determined from surface evidence | 47 |
| Children's burial ground an unconsecrated medieval and early-modern burial ground for unbaptised or stillborn children, often called a cillín or ceallúnach | 24 |
| Ritual site – holy well a well or spring traditionally associated with a saint, often credited with healing properties; many trace earlier ritual origins but devotion is documented from the medieval period onwards | 20 |
| Fulacht fia a horseshoe-shaped Bronze Age burnt mound built around a sunken trough beside a water source, traditionally interpreted as a cooking site | 19 |
| Souterrain an underground stone-built passage and chamber, generally Early Medieval and often associated with ringforts as a defensive or storage feature | 15 |
| Church a building used for public Christian worship, of any date from c. 500 AD onwards | 14 |
| Mound an artificial earthen elevation of unknown date and function that cannot be classified as another known monument type | 12 |
Chronological distribution
The dated archaeological record for Iraghticonnor spans from the Neolithic through to the Modern, with activity attested across 8 of 9 archaeological periods. This is the 83rd percentile across ROI baronies for chronological depth — an above-average span. Every period from earliest to latest is represented in the record — an unbroken sequence of dated activity across the full chronological span. Activity concentrates most heavily in the Iron Age (336 sites, 68% of dated material), with the Early Medieval forming a secondary peak (87 sites, 18%). A further 50 recorded sites (9% of the overall NMS register for the barony) carry no period attribution — appearing as 'Unknown' in the bar chart below. This typically reflects either records that pre-date the standardised period vocabulary or sites awaiting specialist dating review, rather than a genuine absence of chronological evidence.
Sample of recorded monuments
Show 25 sample monuments (of 544 total)
A representative sample of 25 recorded monuments drawn from the barony’s 544 total NMS entries. Sites within a recorded monument protection zone and rarer site types are prioritised so the list shows a meaningful cross-section rather than only the most common type. Each entry shows the official Sites and Monuments Record reference number and the description published by the National Monuments Service.
Stone row
This stone alignment is situated in pastureland, close to a circular rath (120), and overlooks the Shannon estuary. The stone alignment is represented by five set and one prostrate stone. The tallest at the NE measures…
This stone alignment is situated in pastureland, close to a circular rath (120), and overlooks the Shannon estuary. The stone alignment is represented by five set and one prostrate stone. The tallest at the NE measures 2.05m high, 1.4m wide and 1m thick. A gap of 1.4m separates this from the next stone, which is 1.8m high, .7m wide, .8m thick. Beside this is a stone which rises no more then .15m above the group level. Beyond this is the prostrate stone measuring 2.2m by .85m which may have formed part of the row. Next is a stone .30m high, .65m wide and .65m thick. This is 2.85m from the second stone of the row. The stone at the SW is .95m from the next stone. This stone measures 1.65m high, 1.20m wide and .75m thick. The overall length of the row is 9.3m.
The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 30. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 1 August 2013
Barrow – unclassified
Situated in poor pastureland on a gentle SE-NW slope, the barrow is barely perceptible and is enclosed by a fosse and external bank. It has an external diameter of 11.2m NW-SE. The earthen bank enclosing the fosse and…
Situated in poor pastureland on a gentle SE-NW slope, the barrow is barely perceptible and is enclosed by a fosse and external bank. It has an external diameter of 11.2m NW-SE. The earthen bank enclosing the fosse and inner mound is low and wide. In width it measures 2.4m, its maximum height above the external ground level is 1m, while it measures .4m above the fosse.
The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 84. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 2 August 2013
Religious house – unclassified
Carrig Abbey (in ruins). The remains of this abbey consist of a nave, 15.5m x 6m, and choir, 6.7m x 4.7m internally. They were separated by a square tower (now gone), supported on two semi-circular arches, 4m high and…
Carrig Abbey (in ruins). The remains of this abbey consist of a nave, 15.5m x 6m, and choir, 6.7m x 4.7m internally. They were separated by a square tower (now gone), supported on two semi-circular arches, 4m high and 2m wide. The abbey was constructed from thin flagstones of the neighbouring area and this, according to Cochrane (1913), gives the masonry a peculiar appearance. The remaining walls are just over 1m thick and contain lime-and-sand cement. The E gable of the abbey has now disappeared and the W gable has been incorporated into a field bank. On the N wall evidence of steps leading to the tower and a possible door, now much disfigured, can still be seen. It is believed to have been a monastery of the O'Connor Kerry clan, since it is situated in the centre of an early ecclesiastical enclosure (KE002-008003-). Though there is no documentary evidence, it would appear to have been in use over a long period of time before falling into decay. There is no surface trace of a burial ground attached to the abbey, but, according to O'Donovan (1841), human bones and skulls were dug up by the locals while searching for money.
See attached plan and elevation drawings of Carrig Abbey taken from North Kerry Archaeological Survey (Toal 1995, 239).
The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 928. In certain instances the entries have been revised and…
Causeway
Modern road bridge connecting Carrig Island to Carrigafoyle may have been built on site of earlier causeway. The Minute Book of the Co. Kerry Field Club recorded the following details about a causeway known locally as…
Modern road bridge connecting Carrig Island to Carrigafoyle may have been built on site of earlier causeway. The Minute Book of the Co. Kerry Field Club recorded the following details about a causeway known locally as 'St. Senan's Road', during a site visit carried out on 02/10/1943; 'from the site of the chapel (KE002-008001-) above mentioned the people still point to a pathway through the fields & connecting Carrig Island (An tOileán Beag/Little Island) (KE002-008003-), turning East it dips into an estuary of the Shannon where some stretches of stone are visible at low water, and connects up with Aughavallen which was the old parish of Ballylongford. This pathway is named St Senan's Road. The party visited Aughavallen and found the place of wildness of decaying masonry & decaying vegetation' (SMR File; Tralee Library Volume 1 Minute Book of Co. Kerry Field Club, page 428).
A second site visit on the 05/04/1952 by the Kerry Field club recorded that; 'the causeway to Carrig Island was dry as the party were able to proceed' (SMR File). Cross-reference with KE002-010—- which is also part of the road known locally as 'Saint Senan's Road'. Folklore collected in 1938 from Ballylongford School recorded the following tradition about this road; 'In the time that St. Seanan lived in Scattery Island, he ordered that a road should be made all the way from where he was which was Scattery Island to Carrig Island which was about six miles.
The road was started in Carrig Island…
Field system
Field system in NW quadrant of monastic site situated on low-lying pastureland, with excellent views in all directions. A large early ecclesiastical site (KE002-008003-) not marked on the OS maps but shows up quite…
Field system in NW quadrant of monastic site situated on low-lying pastureland, with excellent views in all directions. A large early ecclesiastical site (KE002-008003-) not marked on the OS maps but shows up quite clearly on aerial photographs taken by the Survey in 1987. The enclosing banks are cut in several places by various field banks and a boreen or roadway cuts through the N sector of the ecclesiastical enclosure in a NW-SE direction (Toal 1995, 208).
See attached site plan of earthworks taken from North Kerry Archaeological Survey
The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 830. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 3 August 2013
Road – road/trackway
This is a segment of a pilgrim's path and is named 'St. Senans Road' in old English lettering on the 1st and 2nd editions of the OS 6-inch maps. It extends for c. 330m in a SW-NE direction into a point on the west side…
This is a segment of a pilgrim's path and is named 'St. Senans Road' in old English lettering on the 1st and 2nd editions of the OS 6-inch maps. It extends for c. 330m in a SW-NE direction into a point on the west side of Ballylongford Bay. It has now been submerged by water from the Shannon Estuary. Cross-reference with KE002-008005-.
Folklore collected in 1938 from Ballylongford School recorded the following tradition about this road; 'In the time that St. Seanan lived in Scattery Island, he ordered that a road should be made all the way from where he was which was Scattery Island to Carrig Island which was about six miles. The road was started in Carrig Island but it is not known whether it was then when the saint ordered it or later on it was started. The road goes out about one mile and a half and can be seen to the present day. The old people say that the reason why it was not finished was that one morning when the men were at work a red haired woman passed them and said nothing. At that the work was stopped because they thought it would not be right to finish it. It can be seen every day when the tide goes out, and it is called "St. Seanan's Road" (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0403, Page 098; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4666583/4663949).
Compiled by: Matt Kelleher
Date of upload: 18 November 2013
Castle – ringwork
This site is situated in a large pastoral field. Not marked on any edition of the OS maps, it is a large circular enclosure, very much levelled but still distinguishable. The circular area is enclosed by a low wide…
This site is situated in a large pastoral field. Not marked on any edition of the OS maps, it is a large circular enclosure, very much levelled but still distinguishable. The circular area is enclosed by a low wide earthen bank, and measures N-S 51m internally and 61m N-S externally, and it is 4-7m wide at the base of the bank. The external height of the bank above the surrounding land measures .4m and the internal height a maximum of .4m. This site is locally thought to be a Killeen (KE002-042001-). NE of the site lies Carrigafoyle Church (KE002-043001-) and Carrigafoyle Castle (KE002-045—-).
The above description is derived from Toal C. (compiler) ‘The North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority. (1995) no. 840. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 18 June 2013
Bastioned fort
This site is situated on high ground and has a commanding view of the surrounding land, which is sloping S. This site is marked on the 1840-41 OS map as 'Massy's Hill'. This map shows the fort as being a small…
This site is situated on high ground and has a commanding view of the surrounding land, which is sloping S. This site is marked on the 1840-41 OS map as 'Massy's Hill'. This map shows the fort as being a small six-pointed star fort; later editions show it less clearly. Today this star-shaped fort has been practically destroyed along its N section by the ESB in building and fencing in their station. Only three points of the six survive to the S and E. This fort consists of two well-defined stone banks and a fosse, the banks now very overgrown and covered in vegetation. The internal area measures 29m N-S and c. 27m E-W. The remaining enclosing bank measures 0.3m high above the interior, a maximum of 4m above the fosse and c. 5m at the base. The width of the fosse varies from 2m-4m wide. The outer bank measures 1m high externally, 0.8m-2m above the fosse and c. 4m wide at the base. There is a break in the bank to the SE, varying from 1m-3m in width. However, because so much distortion of the fort has taken place, it is difficult to say with certainty whether this is the entrance. The plan form of the fort would suggest a date from early to mid-17th century (Toal 1995, 270-2).
According to Kerrigan (1995, 102-3), ‘Fortifications that may originate from the 1641-1660 period include forts at Tarbert, Co. Kerry. The fort [KE003-001—-] at Tarbert was similar in outline but somewhat larger than the tenaille trace work at Dunboy Castle [CO128-001002-] constructed by Broghill at…
Religious house – Franciscan friars
National Monument No. 258. Lislaughtin Abbey situated N of Glashanagalloon stream (Glaise na nGealbhan, stream of the sparrows), and N of the friary lies Ballylongford Creek. This Franciscan house was built by John…
National Monument No. 258. Lislaughtin Abbey situated N of Glashanagalloon stream (Glaise na nGealbhan, stream of the sparrows), and N of the friary lies Ballylongford Creek. This Franciscan house was built by John O'Connor Kerry for the monks of the strict Observantine Rule.
It consists of a long house, 29m x 5.2m internally, which is divided into choir and nave. It originally had a square tower over the choir arch. This tower, which was documented by O'Donovan in 1841, fell in the last century. The arches supporting the tower were pointed and constructed of thin flagstones. It measured c 60 feet in height and consisted of four storeys.
The nave has two doorways providing access to the interior. The doorway on the W gable, which would have been the main entrance is formed of cut limestone in the pointed style, and stands 1.9m high x 1.4m wide. Over this doorway is a pointed window, originally twin-lighted by a stone mullion which no longer exists. The second doorway lies on the S wall and is c 1.4m from the W gable. Also formed of limestone in the pointed style, it is 1.7m high x .8m wide. In the interior of the nave on the N wall are two tomb niches with ogee-form hoods and towering pinnacles.
Other buildings would appear to have extended from the W of the nave, but only the remains of a wall c 22m in length survives.
The choir is lighted by a fine E window divided into four lights by stone mullions, which is surmounted by bar tracery. It is 2m wide externally and s…
Cliff-edge fort
This site, situated above the bay of Cunnihish S of Doon Head, lies on the edge of a steep slope 200 feet high. On the S side of this promontory lies another promontory fort known as Stack's (KE004-018—-). This site…
This site, situated above the bay of Cunnihish S of Doon Head, lies on the edge of a steep slope 200 feet high. On the S side of this promontory lies another promontory fort known as Stack's (KE004-018—-). This site can be described as a crescent-shaped fort which consists of two well-defined banks and an intervening fosse. The outer bank has been defaced by the erection of later field fences. The fort measures a maximum of 92m externally E-W and 55m N-S.
The fosse is wide and deep, though to the SE, where the causeway leads in towards the entrance, it is more shallow; here it measures about 3.2m deep, while elsewhere it ranges from 3.4m to 4.5m deep. The width of the fosse to the E measures 4m, while to the W it measures 4.6m.
The inner bank is high and steep and ranges in width at the base from c 14m to 18m; it rises between 5.3m and 5.7m above the fosse, and 1.8m and 3.5m above the interior. The maximum internal diameter measures 36m N-S and 50m E-W. In the N sector of the interior is a mound measuring c12m x 3.6m internally, and this could possibly suggest a souterrain. Immediately S of this is an oval mound measuring internally 7m x 4.6m. On the 1841 OS map, 'cave' is marked on the E side of the outer ring. On the interior side of the outer bank, just at the cliff edge, an opening is discernible, revealing stonework which possibly suggests an entrance/exit to a souterrain (KE004-011001-). The entrance to the interior of the fort measures 3m at the inner bank; ther…
Burnt spread
According to Paddy O'Donovan (1987), burnt stones were discovered during ploughing. No surface trace survives today.
The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon…
According to Paddy O'Donovan (1987), burnt stones were discovered during ploughing. No surface trace survives today.
The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 44. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 1 August 2013
Megalithic structure
Marked 'Giant's Grave' on the 1841-42 OS map and 'Giant's Grave (Site of)' on the later edition of 1914-15. This appears as a rectangular structure on the earlier map, though no surface trace survives today. The…
Marked 'Giant's Grave' on the 1841-42 OS map and 'Giant's Grave (Site of)' on the later edition of 1914-15. This appears as a rectangular structure on the earlier map, though no surface trace survives today. The Ballyline river lies E of this site, flowing N-W. It is situated in a subdenomination of the above townland called Grafa (grubbed land).
The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 7. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 1 August 2013
Bridge
Mweevuck (Maigh Mhuc – plain of (the) pigs). This wooden structure, thought to be a bridge, is situated NE of an enclosure (KE009-010—-) and E of Derryco Church (KE009-022—-). A large number of oak timbers were…
Mweevuck (Maigh Mhuc – plain of (the) pigs). This wooden structure, thought to be a bridge, is situated NE of an enclosure (KE009-010—-) and E of Derryco Church (KE009-022—-). A large number of oak timbers were raised on either shore during a drainage scheme on the River Cashen in the 1950s. They were examined in 1953 by Michael J. O'Kelly who felt that the structure must have been quite large and elaborate.
More oak timbers were brought ashore in 1956, 1957 and 1959 and on two occasions parts of a wooden structure were left in situ for O'Kelly to examine. The timbers were elaborately detailed with mortices and tenons which originally fitted together. The structure seems to have projected 'outward from the banks into and at right angles to the flow of the river' (O'Kelly, JRSAI, 1961, 137). While there was no hard evidence that the structure completely crossed the river, local fishermen stated that their nets had often become entangled in timber posts out in the river.
If indeed it was a wooden bridge one would imagine that a reference could be found. However, neither Taylor and Skinner (1777), Smith (1756), the Patent Roll of James I (1623) nor the Patent Roll of Mary I (1553) make any reference to a bridge in this locality, though the area itself is mentioned. This does not, however, prove that no bridge existed; it could have been much older than the references and all tradition may have been lost by the time of writing. Wooden bridges have been constructed since…
Megalithic tomb – unclassified
Marked 'Giant's Grave' on (he 184 1-42 and 1939 OS maps. It is situated NE of a univallate rath (379). The 'Giant's Grave' was levelled about 7-8 years ago and survives only as a low oval mound which measures 11.9m N-S…
Marked 'Giant's Grave' on (he 184 1-42 and 1939 OS maps. It is situated NE of a univallate rath (379). The 'Giant's Grave' was levelled about 7-8 years ago and survives only as a low oval mound which measures 11.9m N-S and 13m E-W.
The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 8. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 1 August 2013
Henge
The site comprises an almost circular area enclosed by a ditch bank and internal fosse and has a well-defined entrance feature. The site has external dimensions of 77.7m SE-NW and 74.9m NE-SW. A small portion of the NW…
The site comprises an almost circular area enclosed by a ditch bank and internal fosse and has a well-defined entrance feature. The site has external dimensions of 77.7m SE-NW and 74.9m NE-SW. A small portion of the NW of the monument is destroyed and cut off by a modern roadway, fieldbanks and a drainage ditch. The portion of the site in the NW field has been levelled and is today noticeable only by slight variations in vegetation, which presumably mark the one-time presence of the bank and internal fosse. Examination of the site's features are by necessity limited to the much larger portion of the site in the SE field.
There is a quite pronounced outer ditch in the NE and SW sectors, but it does not appear clearly about the rest of the site. It varies in width between 1.8m and 4.2m and appears as a clearly defined if shallow depression enclosing the site. In the NE its deepest point is .45m below ground level and 1.45m below the top of the bank; in the SW it is .35m below ground level and 1.3m below the top of the bank. It is probable however that this ditch is not contemporaneous with the rest of the site. At the sectors where the ditch appears the bank has a terraced effect at its top and it is significant that this effect does not appear where the bank is not enclosed by the ditch; in all likelihood the field-builders augmented the height of the bank with material dug from the ditch.
Apart from the destroyed portion of the site in the NW field, the bank is well pres…
Fortification
Marked on the 1841-42 and 1939 OS maps as 'Garrison (in ruins)', it appears as a rectangular enclosure with a double bank on the W to NW side. Today the enclosure has been disfigured by field fences and the E and SSE…
Marked on the 1841-42 and 1939 OS maps as 'Garrison (in ruins)', it appears as a rectangular enclosure with a double bank on the W to NW side. Today the enclosure has been disfigured by field fences and the E and SSE banks have been destroyed due to their construction. The firing or outer bank of the enclosure runs in a N-E-SW direction. This bank measures 57m in length. The maximum width at the base of the bank measures 7m, the external height of the bank 2.2m, and the internal height 1.2m. At both ends of the bank, it tapers off and merges into the surrounding land. There is a distance of 1.6m between the bank and the field fence. At a distance of 22m from the NW section of the bank, there is an incurve in the bank measuring 4m deep and 6m wide.
The rectangular area itself measures 38m NE- SW and 41m NW-SE internally, and appears as a raised area over the surrounding land. There is a distance of 5m between the outer bank and the 'garrison' itself. The external height of the bank measures .6m. A slight fosse is to be noted and measures .8m wide and .4m deep. In the interior of the garrison there is a large depression measuring 6m x 9m.
Listowel's strategic importance was appreciated by the English authorities, and this can be seen from a list prepared on 23 April 1659 in which Listowel is named as one of the garrisons which is to be held if Ireland should be invaded. Forty men are suggested for the garrison of Listowel (Gaughan, 1973, 83).
The above description is de…
Burnt mound
This site is located approximately 20m west of the eastern field fence and 30m south of the northern field fence. A layer of burnt soil and stone was revealed in the north face of a drain. This burning extends in…
This site is located approximately 20m west of the eastern field fence and 30m south of the northern field fence. A layer of burnt soil and stone was revealed in the north face of a drain. This burning extends in section over 3.05m. No burning was evident in the south face of the drain. No surface mound was identified in association with this burnt soil. Further burning was not identified in adjacent drains.
Compiled by: Úna Cosgrove
Date of upload: 04 October 2013
Ogham stone
This ogham stone was found by Windele in 1836 in the old churchyard (KE003-008001-) of Kilnaughtin on this townland (given as Cockhill townland, bordering on Carhoona): it lay about six feet from the S.E. angle of the…
This ogham stone was found by Windele in 1836 in the old churchyard (KE003-008001-) of Kilnaughtin on this townland (given as Cockhill townland, bordering on Carhoona): it lay about six feet from the S.E. angle of the Church (KE003-008—-) in the burial ground (Macalister 1945, 222-223, no. 228). It is now in the Pitt-Rivers Museum, Oxford. The dimensions (converted from Macalister, ibid) are 0.75 x 0.15 x 0.1m and the fragmentary inscription was read as: –MA]Q[I] BROCI.
Compiled by: Nora White
Date of upload: 1 March 2017
Dovecote
Carrigafoyle (Carraig an Phoill) Castle (KE002-045—-) was built in the late 15th, early 16th century by Connor Liath O'Connor Kerry, the son of John O'Connor Kerry who built the nearby Lislaughtin Abbey…
Carrigafoyle (Carraig an Phoill) Castle (KE002-045—-) was built in the late 15th, early 16th century by Connor Liath O'Connor Kerry, the son of John O'Connor Kerry who built the nearby Lislaughtin Abbey (KE003-016—-). Originally the castle formed an island and was fortified by two curtain walls (KE002-045001-). The inner one, which enclosed the castle, had rounded turrets, while the outer wall, which enclosed three sides to the N, S, and W had square towers at the corners. The area between the bawns was used as a dock for boats. The inner wall has completely disappeared, but the landward side of the outer wall can still be seen. It measures 21m long and 2m thick before extending into the square turret measuring 16m x 4m, which would appear to have been used as a dovecote'.
Carrigafoyle Castle is a national monument in State care (no. 349).
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of upload: 31 December 2021
Water mill – unclassified
Annotated 'Mill' on the 1841 ed. OSi 6-inch map where it is shown 30m S of Listowel Castle (KE010-059—-). This mill may have been built on the site of the 'watermill' mentioned in 1303-04. The Plea Roll of 32…
Annotated 'Mill' on the 1841 ed. OSi 6-inch map where it is shown 30m S of Listowel Castle (KE010-059—-). This mill may have been built on the site of the 'watermill' mentioned in 1303-04. The Plea Roll of 32 Edward I, 1303-4 recorded that 'Sibilla, widow of Maurice son of Thomas, seeks against Nicholas son of Maurice one third of a house [KE010-059—-], watermill [KE010-083—-], lands (1,060 acres) and rent in Lystothyl (Listowel) in Altry, and of the fishery [KE010-082—-] of the river Feer (Feale) in the same vill, and the third part of a house and lands (2,400 acres) and rent in Viale [Beale KE002-001001-] de Kyllesshene, as her dower' (Orpen 1924-5, 36).
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of upload: 14 September 2022
Castle – Anglo-Norman masonry castle
Lickbebune Castle – or Leek Castle, as it is popularly known – belonged to the Fitzgeralds, a branch of the Desmond family. It was built by a member of the Clan Richard of Leac Beibhionn around 1380. The headland, which…
Lickbebune Castle – or Leek Castle, as it is popularly known – belonged to the Fitzgeralds, a branch of the Desmond family. It was built by a member of the Clan Richard of Leac Beibhionn around 1380. The headland, which is about 111m long, was joined by a natural arch to the castle. When this arch collapsed it left a chasm 6.4m wide; the collapsed rock filled up the gully, and entrance is now gained by a narrow path. It was probably once gained by a drawbridge, but no trace of this can be seen today. The ruins now consist of the S wall, which rises to a height of 10.6m and is 2.4m thick. This wall is part of the tower, which originally contained three storeys (Westropp, 1909). There is now a long gap or breach in the wall which has an arch over the top, suggesting a window. About 2.5m below this arch are the remains of another one, also suggesting a window arch. There are various fragments of other walls scattered around. In the NNW sector of the headland there is a limestone block, 2.5m x .8m, with a splayed keyholeshaped opening which may have been a musket loop. John, son of Garret Fitzgerald and heir to Leek, was killed in the seige of Lord Kerry's castle at Lixnaw in 1568. By 1641 the castle was demolished and its demesne granted to Trinity College, Dublin.
As part of his study of the promontory forts of Ireland, Casey (2002, 45, NK 987) checked out a 'faint curving bank across the neck of the of the headland' in order to see if it 'might be the remains of an earlier…
Castle – Anglo-Norman masonry castle
Beal Castle was another Fitzmaurice stronghold from the 13th century until 1783, when it passed to Richard Hare. In Pacata Hibernia (1633) it is called Beaulieu, and according to Richard Cox (1687) it derived its name…
Beal Castle was another Fitzmaurice stronghold from the 13th century until 1783, when it passed to Richard Hare. In Pacata Hibernia (1633) it is called Beaulieu, and according to Richard Cox (1687) it derived its name from 'Beal-a-bo’. O'Donovan (1841) feels that this is incorrect and that it is 'béal meaning mouth or bay. This castle commanded an excellent view of the Shannon and the tide comes within 70m of it. According to Westropp (1909, 11) 'the tower had two floors under a vault, then another vaulted storey and a roofed upper room'. Today the remains of the castle have fallen and all that can be seen are its foundations. It appears as a rectangular enclosure that is enclosed to the N, S and W by a fieldbank. The enclosure measures 68m N-S and 62m E-W. To the N the bank measures 1.3m high externally, 1.6m high internally and is 3.8m wide at the base. To the S it measures .6m high externally, 1.8m high internally and 3.4m wide at the base. This enclosure would appear to have been surrounded by a fosse and an outer bank, but this is only visible at the NE and SE angle.
Thomas Fitzmaurice, 18th Lord of Kerry, realising during the wars of the 1600s that he was facing defeat at the hands of the English forces, decided to make his peace with Carew, but his surrender was not accepted and he became a lifelong enemy of the English Crown. Beal Castle was the scene of the murder of Maurice Stack (a close associate of Carew) in August 1600. According to Pacata Hibernia (1633) Ho…
Battery
Situated on Corran Point, at NE end of Carrig Island, overlooking Bunaclugga Bar, 2.8km S of Scattery Island Battery (CL067-024015-) . To the NE lies Moneypoint, to the south lies Carrigafoyle Castle (KE002-045—-).…
Situated on Corran Point, at NE end of Carrig Island, overlooking Bunaclugga Bar, 2.8km S of Scattery Island Battery (CL067-024015-) . To the NE lies Moneypoint, to the south lies Carrigafoyle Castle (KE002-045—-). The view from this site is excellent in all directions. The surrounding land is pastureland. Annotated 'Battery' on the 1841 ed. OSi 6-inch map and 'Corran Point Battery' on the Cassini ed. OSi 6-inch map. One of six batteries (Kilcredaun CL072-027002-, Doonaha CL066-037001-, Scattery Island CL067-024015-, Kilkerin CL068-046—- and Tarbert KE003-002—-) proposed by the Gother Mann Committee as part of the fortification of the Shannon estuary (McEnery 2006, 104). In 1806 Gother Mann, Inspector-General of fortifications, proposed rough costings for artillery fortifications of the Shannon estuary which included Carrig Island Battery and tower which he estimated would cost £6,000 (McEnery 2006, 76). In 1810 the Board of Ordnance approved estimates for the construction of the six artillery fortifications (ibib.). The contract was awarded to Mr. Flattery who excavated the trenches but failed to construct the masonry elements which was awarded to Mr Quillan a second contractor who commenced work on these fortifications in 1812 (ibid.). On August 2nd 1814 master gunners were posted to these batteries including Robert Kinnerbury to Carrig Island battery (ibid., 106). The Master Gunners House is depicted on the 1841 ed. OSi 6-inch map where it is shown standin…
Battery
Modern ESB power station stands on site of Tarbert Island Battery. In 1782 the House of Commons recorded the payment of £360 in order ‘to complete the Expence of constructing a Battery at the Island of Tarbert, with…
Modern ESB power station stands on site of Tarbert Island Battery. In 1782 the House of Commons recorded the payment of £360 in order ‘to complete the Expence of constructing a Battery at the Island of Tarbert, with Accomodations for a Detachment of Artillery and a Company of Infantry’ (Anon. 1785, 46). McEnery (2006, 42-3) recorded that ‘new fortifications were erected at Tarbert between August 1794 and June 1795, with sixteen 24-pounders and six 6-pounders, in a work known as the Pakenham Redoubt, after the then Lieutenant General of the Irish Board of Ordnance, the Honourable Thomas Pakenham’. Kerrigan (1995, 149) recorded that ‘The batteries constructed between 1779 and 1783 at Cork Harbour, Tarbert and Passage were abandoned or disused for the next ten years, repeating the eighteenth-century pattern of the neglect of fortifications alternating with repairs and reconstruction in times of war or fear of invasion. On the outbreak of war with the French Republic in 1793, these works were again occupied or reconstructed, and other temporary works were to be erected in response to the threat of invasion. The renewal of the war in 1803 was to result in the most extensive scheme of fortification ever undertaken in Ireland’.
One of six batteries (Kilcredaun CL072-027002-, Doonaha CL066-037001-, Scattery Island CL067-024015-, Kilkerin CL068-046—- and Tarbert KE003-002—-) proposed by the Gother Mann Committee as part of the fortification of the Shannon estuary (McEnery…
Ringfort – rath
Internal diameter 28m N-S, 27m E-W
This univallate rath is situated on a rise and has a commanding view of the River Shannon and the coast of Co. Clare. It consists of a circular area enclosed by a well-defined bank…
Internal diameter 28m N-S, 27m E-W
This univallate rath is situated on a rise and has a commanding view of the River Shannon and the coast of Co. Clare. It consists of a circular area enclosed by a well-defined bank that measures 1.5m externally, 1.8m internally and varies between 3m-6m in width at the base. There is a slight trace of a fosse in the SW sector, which runs for c14m and measures 1m in width and .4m below the surrounding land. The entrance lies in the E sector and is 3.5m wide.
The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 117. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 2 August 2013
Listed buildings
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) is a state survey appraising buildings of architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social, or technical interest. Each surveyed structure receives a rating from International (the highest, for buildings of European importance) through National, Regional, Local, and Record-Only.
The NIAH records 124 listed buildings in Iraghticonnor (58th percentile across ROI baronies). The highest-graded structure include 1 of National significance. The Republic holds 937 National-graded buildings in total, so this barony accounts for around 0% of the national total. Construction dates concentrate most heavily in the Victorian (1830-1900) period. The most-recorded building type is house (92 examples, 74% of the listed stock).
Terrain and environment
Mean elevation across the barony is 44m — the 14th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for elevation. This means it is in the bottom fifth of all baronies for elevation. This is a relatively low-lying landscape by ROI standards. Elevation matters for heritage because higher-altitude baronies typically favour defensive monuments — ringforts and hilltop forts placed on prominent ground — while lowland baronies are more likely to carry the dense settlement and church networks of intensive agricultural landscapes. The barony reaches 264m at its highest point — a vertical span of more than 219m within its boundary, indicating significant topographic diversity. Mean slope is 2.0° — the 8th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for slope. This means it is in the bottom tenth of all baronies for slope. This is broadly flat terrain, the kind of landscape best suited to intensive agriculture. Slope is a key control on both land use and archaeological preservation: steep ground resists ploughing and tends to preserve earthworks intact, while gentle slopes favour intensive cultivation that damages or destroys surface archaeology over time. The Topographic Wetness Index averages 11.9, the 97th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for wetness. This means it is in the top tenth of all baronies for wetness. This is wet, slow-draining ground by ROI standards — the kind of landscape that may carry waterlogged archaeological sites of unusual preservation value. Drainage matters for heritage because poorly-drained ground preserves organic archaeology (wooden trackways, leather, textiles, and on rare occasions human remains) far better than free-draining soil; well-drained ground favours arable use but destroys organic material rapidly. The land-cover mosaic combines improved grassland (75%), open water (13%), and woodland (9%), giving a mixed agricultural and semi-natural landscape. In overall character, this is low-lying, gently-sloping terrain — characteristic of Ireland's central plain and coastal lowlands, with land use dominated by improved grassland.
Terrain measurements
Where this barony sits in the Republic of Ireland
Geology and preservation
Bedrock geology shapes the landscape long before any settlement begins — controlling soil drainage, agricultural potential, the survival of upstanding monuments, and the preservation of buried archaeology. The figures below come from the Geological Survey Ireland 1:100,000 bedrock map.
The bedrock underlying Iraghticonnor is predominantly mudstone, sandstone, siltstone (70% of the barony by area), laid down during the Carboniferous period (100% by area, around 359 to 299 million years ago). A substantial secondary geology of limestones (17%) adds further variety to the underlying landscape. The single largest mapped unit is the Shannon Group, undifferentiated (70% of the barony's bedrock).
Rock type composition
Largest mapped unit: Shannon Group, undifferentiated (70% of the barony)
Placename evidence
Logainm records 54 heritage-diagnostic placenames for Iraghticonnor, drawn from townland and civil-parish names across the barony. The dominant stratum is Early Christian ecclesiastical — cill-, teampall-, and domhnach-prefixed names that record the dense network of early church foundations established between the fifth and tenth centuries. The leading diagnostic roots are cill- (26 — church), ráth- (7 — earthen ringfort), and lios- (7 — ringfort or enclosure). This is above the ROI average of 30.7 heritage placenames per barony. The presence of multiple heritage strata side by side indicates layered occupation of the landscape across successive prehistoric and historic periods. Logainm records 246 placenames for Iraghticonnor (predominantly townland names). Of these, 54 (22%) carry one of the diagnostic Gaelic roots tracked above; the remainder draw on more generic landscape vocabulary that does not encode a heritage period.
Pre-Christian / Early Medieval Defensive
| Root | Count | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ráth- | 7 | earthen ringfort |
| lios- | 7 | ringfort or enclosure |
| dún- | 6 | hilltop or promontory fort |
| caiseal- | 1 | stone ringfort |
Early Christian Ecclesiastical
| Root | Count | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| cill- | 26 | church (early) |
| bile- | 2 | sacred tree / boundary marker |
| díseart- | 1 | hermitage |
| tobar- | 1 | holy well |
Burial, Ritual, and Norse-Contact
| Root | Count | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| gall- | 3 | foreigner — Norse settlement marker |
| uaimh- | 2 | cave / souterrain |
| leacht- | 1 | grave monument |
Other baronies in Kerry
- Magunihy
- Glanarought
- Corkaguiny
- Dunkerron North
- Iveragh
- Clanmaurice
- Dunkerron South
- Kinalea — Cork
- Barretts — Cork
- Courceys — Cork
See all 280 baronies in the Republic of Ireland Heritage Tool.
Explore further
Grounding History: 10 Maps of Northern Ireland’s Past
If you’re interested in Irish heritage more widely, the companion report for Northern Ireland brings together the analysis of all 462 NI wards into one place through 10 high-quality maps — covering monument density, archaeological periods, placename heritage, terrain, wetland, and the historic landscape at first survey. Take a look.
About this profile
Click any section below to expand.
What is a barony?
A barony is a historic administrative unit in Ireland, broadly equivalent to an English hundred. The 280 baronies used here are from the OSi 2019 National Statutory Boundaries (generalised 20m), covering the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland. Baronies derive from the Norman period, were formalised in the 17th century, and have not been redrawn for statistical purposes. They vary enormously in area, from compact urban baronies in Dublin to vast upland baronies in Connacht, and should not be compared by raw site count without accounting for area differences.
What counts as a site?
This profile combines three distinct heritage registers, each with its own definition of what constitutes a recordable site:
- Archaeological sites (NMS). The National Monuments Service Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) catalogues every known archaeological monument or site of archaeological interest in the Republic, from prehistoric burial mounds and ringforts to medieval churches and post-medieval defensive works. Inclusion does not require legal protection — only that the site has been identified, surveyed, and assessed as having archaeological value. A separate subset of these sites lies within a recorded protection zone, which gives them statutory protection under the National Monuments Acts.
- Listed buildings (NIAH). The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records buildings of architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social, or technical interest. Each surveyed structure is appraised on a five-tier scale: International, National, Regional, Local, and Record-Only. The NIAH appraisal is informational rather than strictly statutory, but it underpins local-authority Record of Protected Structures (RPS) listings.
- Heritage placenames (Logainm). Logainm is the authoritative database of Irish placenames maintained by the Placenames Branch. This profile applies a heritage-diagnostic classifier to the Irish-language form of each townland name, flagging roots that signal defensive sites (ráth-, lios-, dún-, caiseal-, cathair-), ecclesiastical foundations (cill-, teampall-, domhnach-, mainistir-), prehistoric burial-ritual features (tuaim-, carn-, leaba-), or Norse-contact settlement (gall-). Townlands without one of these diagnostic roots are not flagged here — they may still carry historical significance, but that significance is not encoded in the name itself.
Editorial principles
The narrative sections of this profile follow several explicit principles:
- Evidential. Every claim about this barony’s heritage character is anchored in the underlying register data. Where a site count, a placename count, or a percentile rank is cited, it is computed from the source datasets at export time, not estimated.
- Comparative. Counts and metrics are reported alongside their percentile rank against the other 279 ROI baronies. A barony with 50 ringforts in absolute terms could be unusually high or unusually low depending on its size and regional context; percentile ranking removes that ambiguity.
- Transparent on limits. Where a register has known coverage gaps, survey biases, or data-quality issues that affect this barony’s figures, the profile flags them rather than presenting the numbers as definitive.
- No interpretation beyond what the data supports. The narrative does not speculate about historical events, social dynamics, or cultural meaning beyond what the recorded heritage and placename evidence directly attests.
Data caveats and limits
- NMS Sites and Monuments Record is the product of survey campaigns conducted at different intensities across different counties and decades. Some baronies have been surveyed more thoroughly than others, and absolute counts should be read in that light. Sites destroyed by development before survey are typically not represented; sites in heavily forested or upland terrain are sometimes under-recorded.
- NIAH coverage is broadly complete for the Republic of Ireland but the survey was conducted on a rolling county-by-county basis, and the most recent appraisal date varies. Buildings demolished or substantially altered after their original survey may still appear in the register; conversely, recent buildings of merit may not yet have been appraised.
- Logainm classification applies a deliberately conservative pattern-matching approach to the Irish-language townland forms. The classifier prioritises true positives over recall: a townland may carry a heritage signal that the classifier doesn’t recognise, particularly where the diagnostic root has been heavily anglicised or where the townland name draws on a less common term. The 60,000+ townland records and ~9,800 classified placenames give a substantial signal at barony scale, but individual townland names should be checked against Logainm directly for definitive interpretation.
- Period attribution. The chronological distribution reflects only those NMS sites that carry a recognised period attribution in the source data. Sites listed as “Unknown” period are excluded from the dated subset.
- Boundary changes. Some baronies have undergone minor boundary adjustments since their 19th-century definition; the OSi 2019 generalised boundaries used here are the current statutory definition and may differ slightly from historical maps in border areas.
- Bedrock geology is mapped at 1:100,000 scale, which means local variation within a barony — small pockets of different rock type, mineral veins, alluvium overlying bedrock — is generalised. The dominant-system and rocktype figures are area-weighted, so a barony reading “70% Carboniferous limestone” may still contain small but archaeologically important pockets of older or younger rock. Around 3% of GSI polygons do not match the lexicon and contribute no rocktype or system attribution.
Data sources
- National Monuments Service — Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) https://data.gov.ie/dataset/national-monuments-service-archaeological-survey-of-ireland
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) https://data.gov.ie/dataset/national-inventory-of-architectural-heritage-niah-national-dataset
- Logainm — Placenames Database of Ireland https://www.logainm.ie/
- Ordnance Survey Ireland — National Statutory Barony Boundaries 2019 https://data-osi.opendata.arcgis.com/
- EURODEM — European Digital Elevation Model https://www.mapsforeurope.org/datasets/euro-dem
- ESA WorldCover https://esa-worldcover.org/en
- Geological Survey Ireland — 1:100,000 Bedrock Geology https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/data-and-maps/Pages/Bedrock.aspx
Explore more: Search any of the 280 ROI baronies, browse by historical province, or read the methodology and data sources for the full Republic of Ireland Heritage Tool.