2015:405 - Ross Castle, Killarney, Kerry

A small targeted rescue excavation was undertaken following a report of the discovery of a small archaeological deposit containing bone adjacent to the main entrance of Ross Castle, Killarney, Co. Kerry. The deposit had become exposed within rock outcropping at the northern limits of the tower-house. On top of the outcropping is a large battered buttress that extends along the north-west limits of the tower-house.

The material comprised a mid-brown gravelly clay with frequent inclusions of bone and oyster shell which was lying on the bedrock. Apart from the bone and shells, no other finds were recovered. The faunal assemblage comprised 121 fragments. The dominant identifiable species was sheep/goat represented by 26 fragments. Cattle constituted five bone fragments and pig six. There was a single fish bone from a gadid (cod family). Otherwise 66% or 81 bone fragments could only be identified as a large or medium-sized mammal of undeterminable species. The majority of the unidentifiable bones represent long bone fragments.

The deposit appears to reflect kitchen midden material. It is possible that the uppermost extent of the midden deposit had been truncated during the construction of the large support buttress in the 19th century. It is possible that the deposit could date to anytime within the life cycle of the tower-house i.e. between the early15th and early 18th centuries. Alternatively, the deposition of the material could possibly have occurred in the recent past as the gravel which was put down by the OPW lay directly on top of the deposit. Ultimately, the excavation could not determine if the deposit comprised in or ex-situ material. It may be the case that the material was used as a levelling fill from spoil by the OPW when they were conserving the castle between 1970 and 1993.

Mizen Archaeology, 61 Lady's Cross, Clonakilty, Co. Cork