County: Kerry Site name: VALENTIA: Church Island, Ballycarbery West
Sites and Monuments Record No.: KE079-032001 Licence number: MINISTERIAL CONSENT
Author: Alan Hayden, Archaeological Projects Ltd.
Site type: Ecclesiastical enclosure
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 443033m, N 578611m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.937444, -10.282912
Excavation of the burials and lower terraces of the stepped shrine mound was undertaken this year. The shrine mound extended beneath the stone ‘beehive’ hut, which was in turn earlier than the drain and so called a ‘well’. The latter features may be of relatively late date and could be of post-medieval origin.
A few new terraces were evidenced on the lower side of the west side of the mound, as was a path leading from the southern doorway in the cashel wall up the east end of the mound.
A good number of burials were uncovered, although many contained little or no bone. Several in the upper terraces were buried in sand and were well preserved. Burials were generally not removed but just sampled for dating.
Finds were few but included a fine early Bronze Age tanged flint arrowhead.
The work was funded by the OPW.
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