The Souterrain.
The
word "Souterrain" is derived from the French,
and means "under the ground". In
Archaeological talk Souterrain is used to
refer to an underground tunnel or passage, found
often within or near a Ring Fort, or other
enclosure.
Although we don't know
precisely what they were used for, it is usually
assumed that they served as storage for food and
valuables and/or a refuge for people under
attack.
They are often high enough for a
person to walk in, or crouch in, often have
several chambers and interconnecting passages,
and are sometimes elaborately constructed with
cut stone walls or ceilings.
Dating is difficult in most cases, but at least
some of them must have been constructed when the
enclosure was built. Early Christian
Enclosures often contain a Souterrain, but then
so do earlier Iron Age Ringforts.
We have all heard stories of underground
passages connecting up two Ringforts, but these
usually are fictional, particularly around here
where stone close to the surface makes this an
impossible task.
A large number of
Ringforts and other Enclosures in Uibh Laoghaire
contain a Souterrain. It is so frequent
that sometimes we discover that there was once a
Rath in a field because we find the Souterrain.
This happened for example in Kilmore where the
finding of the Souterrain in Fionn Cotters field
led to the discovery of the Early Christian
Enclosure, and probably the site of the Great
Church (Cill mor) of St.Ronan.
The Cork
Survey lists 7 Souterrains in our
Parish including Cahernacaha, Carrignadoura,
Coolnacrannagh, Derryleigh, Rathgaskeeg
(Cashel), and Rathgaskeeg (Rath), There
are also possible traces of a Souterrain at
Dooneens, I expect some of our readers
will be able to tell us of others which they
know about but which were not spotted by the
Survey.