County: Kerry Site name: ARDAGH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 01E0296
Author: Laurence Dunne, Eachtra Archaeological Projects
Site type: Pit
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 498160m, N 588175m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.036200, -9.484366
This rescue excavation was undertaken following the identification of eight areas of archaeological potential during monitoring of construction works associated with a single house development at Ardagh, Killarney, Co. Kerry. The site is located at Loreto Road in the townland of Ardagh, approximately 2km south of Killarney town on the Muckross Road, within an old estate known as Lakeview House.
Of the eight areas of potential archaeological activity, Areas 1 and 6 proved to be natural. In Areas 4 and 7 there were three burnt in situ pits, two from Area 4 and one from Area 7. The lack of finds or related stratigraphy makes it difficult to place the pits in a definite time-period. However, definitive prehistoric activity was located in Area 5, which produced four sherds of Beaker pottery in a shallow, suboval pit. Similar pits were recently excavated in Cloghers, Tralee, by Jacinta Kiely (Excavations 2000, No. 446, 00E0065). Ross Island, the site of extensive industrial Beaker activity, is visible to the west.
Adjacent post-medieval activity on the site was found in Areas 2–4 and 8 in the form of large dump pits, spreads and cultivation ridges, with a cluster of possible prehistoric activity consisting of post- and stake-holes in Area 8 on the south-west limits of the site.
3 Canal Place, Tralee, Co. Kerry
