# Ross Island, Co. Kerry: townland, land parcels and planning

Townland in the civil parish of Killarney, barony of Magunihy, Co. Kerry; in Irish Oileán an Rois.

- Area (Tailte Éireann): 665,605 m² (66.56 ha, 164.47 acres)
- Land parcels (Tailte Éireann): 0 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in it
- Zoning (national zoning, MyPlan): G5 Mixed/general 'green' /recreation/conservation, other, the zone with the most parcels
- Planning (National Planning Applications): 1 application since 2010
- Civil parish: Killarney, https://everytownland.com/kerry/parish/killarney.md
- Barony: Magunihy
- Electoral division: Killarney Rural, the unit of the census
- Census 2022 (Central Statistics Office): Killarney Rural electoral division: 7,735 people in 2,446 households; 71% of households own their home; 34% of homes were built since 2001; 7% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 7% were holiday homes.
- County: Co. Kerry, https://everytownland.com/kerry.md
- Placenames Database of Ireland: https://www.logainm.ie/en/23772
- Townland number at Tailte Éireann: 72440
- Centre: latitude 52.039139, longitude -9.537491 (WGS 84)

## Land parcels (registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann)

0 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Ross Island; 1 neighbouring parcel touches its boundary. Largest first:


## Zoning (national zoning of development plans, MyPlan)

- G5 Mixed/general 'green' /recreation/conservation, other (Mixed/general 'green'/recreation/conservation, other): Kerry County Development Plan 2022-2028, Kerry; 1 parcel. The zoning objective in the plan: http://docstore.kerrycoco.ie/KCCWebsite/planning/devplan/vol2new.pdf

## Planning applications whose site touches the townland (National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

1 application, newest first.

- 11 May 2026, Kerry County Council 2660412: N/a. Permission. construct a concrete slipway, floating pontoon and all associated site works. A Natura Impact Statement and Ecological Impact Assessment has been prepared in respect of the proposed works and accompanies this application. File: https://www.eplanning.ie/KerryCC/AppFileRefDetails/2660412/0

Applicants are not shown.

## Designated sites (National Parks and Wildlife Service)

- Special Area of Conservation: Killarney National Park, Macgillycuddy's Reeks and Caragh River Catchment SAC, site code 000365, https://www.npws.ie/protected-sites/sac/000365
- Special Protection Area: Killarney National Park SPA, site code 004038, https://www.npws.ie/protected-sites/spa/004038
- Proposed Natural Heritage Area: Killarney National Park, Macgillycuddy's Reeks And Caragh River Catchment, site code 000365

## Recorded monuments (Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service)

- KE066-074001: Castle - tower house, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CKE066-074001-. National Monument No. 534. Standing atop a limestone rock outcrop, on the E shoreline of Lough Leane. A rectangular (c. 15m N-S; c. 10m E-W) four-storey tower with the remains, on its N side, of an associated bawn (KE066-074003-), and conjoined on its S side by the roofless ruin of a three-storey barracks (KE066-074004-). The tower underwent major structural alterations from the late 17th century through to recent conservation and restoration work by the State which culminated with its opening as a visitor attraction in 1993. This restoration work, which began in the mid-1970s, involved major structural interventions to consolidate the structure including the rebuilding of the vault over the main ground-floor chamber, the insertion of cross walls to support the vault, and the reconstruction of most window opes (Rourke 1999; Anon n.d.). A full restoration of the interior was also undertaken including the rendering of internal wall-faces, the insertion of a wooden floor at second-floor level, and the construction of a replica wooden roof (ibid.). Replica battlements were also added to the top of the tower (ibid.). The following description of the tower, which is built of uncoursed limestone rubble with a distinct base batter. describes its original form and layout. Entered through a ground-floor doorway just E-of-centre in the N wall. This gives entry to a short lobby which has a door on its E side giving access to the base of a spiral (clockwise) stone stairs, and a door on its S side which gives entry to a second lobby. This latter has a door on its W side giving entry to a porter's chamber, and a door in its S wall leading directly into the main ground floor chamber (c. 7.6m N-S; 5.2m E-W). This main chamber is lit by opposite windows in its E and W walls and there may have been a similar window in the centre of the S wall; these embrasures are square-set with a segmental arch on the inside and a narrow splayed light on the outside. The fireplace at the N end of the W wall is probably not an original feature. At first-floor level, the spiral stairs gives direct access to a subsidary chamber (c. 4.75m E-W; c. 3m N-S) to the N, and to the main chamber to the S (9m N-S; c. 6.25m E-W). The arrangement of windows and fireplace are as on the floor below. The main second-floor chamber is entered via a short passage from the spiral stairs; also at this level the stairs has a door giving direct entry into the subsidary chamber at the N end. Between the latter two doors is a third which gives access to a long narrow passage at the W end of which is a garderobe chamber in the NW angle of the tower. The main second-floor chamber was lit by a central window in its W, S and E walls but also had a window set into its SE corner with its single light at the angle of the tower. At third-floor level, the stairs gives direct entry to a single chamber; this has been reconstructed as having a wooden partition at its N end dividing the main chamber from a kitchen with a 'minstrel's gallery' above. The main chamber was lit by two similar large windows: in the centre of the E wall and near the S end of the W wall. These have rounded rear arches formed of dressed limestone slabs and a square light divided by two mullions and a transom. A large fireplace in the centre of the W wall has a limestone surround with a simple roll moulding on its opening edge and a plain projecting mantle sill. The spiral stairs continued up beyond this level to give access to the wall tops. There are bartizans, with tapering corbels and gun loops, at the top of the NW and SE corners of the tower. The main ground-floor chamber (c. 7.6m N-S; 5.2m E-W) is lit by a segmental arched window embrasure in the W wall with a narrow light; there is a similar modern window in the E wall. There is a segmental arched fireplace (Wth 2.02m; D 1.1m) at the N end of the W wall. The modern N wall is built on the line of an earlier cross wall discovered during archaeological excavation and there is a pointed entrance door at the E end into the inner lobby. A tall door ope in the S wall was inserted to connect the tower house to the barracks to S. A continuous line of projecting corbels high up on the E and W walls support a modern round vault. The first-floor main chamber is lit by a central arched window embrasure with a narrow lights in W, S and E (modern) walls. A large inserted late medieval window at the S end of the E wall has four lights divided by a stone mullion and transom. There is a small window ope at the N end of the E wall in the entrance door embrasure. There is a fireplace (Wth 1.55m; D 0.9m) with a joggled arch at the N end of the W wall. Stone corbels support a modern wooden floor between the first and second floors. The main second-floor chamber has a central wicker-centred window embrasure in the W, S and E (modern) walls with narrow ogee-headed lights. A stepped lintelled window embrasure in the SE corner splays out to a narrow light on the SE corner. The N end of the E wall is set back to accommodate the entrance door area with a small light in the E wall. A modern round vault separates the second and third floors. The main third floor chamber occupies the full length of the tower. Its N end is cordoned off with a modern wooden partition to form a small antechamber at the N end. The chamber is lit by a large round-headed window embrasure at the S end of the W wall, arched with long stone slabs. It contains a six-lighted mullion and transom window and there is a similar window in the E wall. There is a central fireplace in the W wall with a moulded lintel and jambs and a projecting mantel. A blind arched embrasure (L 3.02m; H 2.1m; D 0.57m) in the centre of the S wall. There is a stepped lintelled window embrasure, with a wide rectangular light, in the N wall. The tower house is entered through a pointed door ope with yett-holes at the E end of the N wall which gives access to the rebuilt entrance lobby, the inner lobby and the guardroom. There is a series of rebuilt antechambers between the floor levels overhead - a murder-hole room between the ground and first floor and the garderobe chamber on the second floor. These have been rebuilt on the basis of 'evidence … left cantilevered out from inner wall face' (Rourke, 1999, 12). The entrance lobby (1.5m E-W; 1.75m N-S) gives access to a stairwell in the NE corner. A spiral stone stairs (radius 1.11m) rises in a clockwise direction to the top of the tower house and is lit by a series of narrow splayed windows in the N and E walls. The parapet wall is rebuilt, corner tower over the stairwell in the NE corner. Bartizans with a series of gun loops on the NW and SE corners are supported on tapering corbels. There is a chimney on top of the W wall. The tower house is roofed by a modern slated wooden roof. The interior is lined with layers of lime mortar containing cows hair based on the original lime plaster. Nearly all the narrow window opes have unusual shallow hollowed out sillstones which drain out to a projecting spout. Projecting stones on the N end of the W elevation indicate the outline of a gable-ended house which was built against the tower house. The bawn wall (L 16.58m; H c. 5m; T 1.03m) survives to N with circular corner towers at either end. The remains of return of W bawn wall on S side of NW tower and the E bawn wall (L c. 20m) extending from NE tower is much rebuilt. A wall walk on top of the N bawn wall has a central pointed door ope. A two-storey building depicted here straddling the bawn in a number of 19th-century illustrations. The NE corner tower (int. diam. 2.7m) has a series of gun loops on the ground and first floor levels in wall from NW to SE. There is a fireplace in the SE wall and a lintelled door ope in the SW wall. Similar NW corner tower (int. diam. 2.3m) first floor gun loops in fireplace in the SW wall and in a niche in the NE wall. Wide rectangular window opes in both corner towers were probably inserted the
- KE066-074003: Bawn, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CKE066-074003-. National Monument No. 534. Ross Castle stands atop a limestone rock outcrop, on the E shoreline of Lough Leane. A rectangular four-storey tower with the remains, on its N side, of an associated bawn (KE066-074003-), and conjoined on its S side by the roofless ruin of a three-storey barracks (KE066-074004-). The tower underwent major structural alterations from the late 17th century through to recent conservation and restoration work by the State which culminated with its opening as a visitor attraction in 1993.The bawn wall (L 16.58m; H c. 5m; T 1.03m) survives to N with circular corner towers at either end. The remains of return of W bawn wall on S side of NW tower and the E bawn wall (L c. 20m) extending from NE tower is much rebuilt. A wall walk on top of the N bawn wall has a central pointed door ope. A two-storey building depicted here straddling the bawn in a number of 19th-century illustrations. The NE corner tower (int. diam. 2.7m) has a series of gun loops on the ground and first floor levels in wall from NW to SE. There is a fireplace in the SE wall and a lintelled door ope in the SW wall. Similar NW corner tower (int. diam. 2.3m) first floor gun loops in fireplace in the SW wall and in a niche in the NE wall. Wide rectangular window opes in both corner towers were probably inserted the 19th/early 20th century.
- KE066-074004: Barracks, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CKE066-074004-. National Monument No. 534. This record was created based on a typescript copy on file concerning a talk given by Mr T. Armitage at KHAS outing at Killarney Sun 8 Oct. 1967 in which the following is recorded. "The structure you see on the south side was built as a barracks for two hundred soldiers, together with apartments for officers of the castle, stores, stables etc. Smith who saw it in 1752 stated it was new and 'had for some years past a military garrison and governor.' Weld writing in 1812 said that this officer was appointed governor to reward him for him for his services to the Crown in New Ross, Co. Wexford. In the 18th century the barracks was extended when a three-storey structure was built onto the S side of the tower. The alterations made to the tower itself at this time included the removal of the antechambers on the N side of the main chambers, the removal of the vault over the first floor, and the insertion of sash windows in the ground and first floors of the E wall. In 1825 the barracks went out of use and the entire complex fell into disrepair. Subsequently a number of actions were taken to consolidate the tower including the insertion of metal ties, the insertion of two walls to support a collapsing vault between the second and third floors, the blocking up of the sash windows, the building of a large buttress against the NW corner, and the insertion of a concrete roof on metal beams (Rourke 1999, 12). The tower house was taken into state care in 1970 and subsequently underwent major conservation and restoration including the removal of 17th/18th/19th-century insertions and rebuilding of the antechambers (ibid.). It was opened to the public as a visitor attraction in 1993. Compiled by: Matt Kelleher Date of upload: 6 February 2012
- KE066-074005: Battery, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CKE066-074005-. The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To access available information for research purposes please make an appointment in advance with the Archive Unit (open Fridays 10.00 am – 5.00 pm), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, The Custom House, Dublin 1 D01W6XO or email NMarchive@housing.gov.ie.
- KE066-095: Mine - copper, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CKE066-095----. On the E side of Lough Leane, Killarney. Survey and excavation revealed three periods of copper mining here, for which there are significant archaeological remains (O'Brien 2000). These include mine shafts and underground tunnel systems, surface spoil deposits, and the locations of settlement areas and former mine buildings. Beaker/Early Bronze Age The oldest mine workings here date back to the beginnings of copper metallurgy in Ireland at the end of the Neolithic period. c. 2400-1900 BC (O'Brien 1995). These are the 'Dane's Mines' discovered in recent centuries, many of which were subsequently destroyed by mining. Surviving examples include the Blue Hole located in the eastern mine sector. This is a large trench-like working measuring 68m long by 8-15m wide. Another early mine is visible in the western area where prehistoric spoil deposits have been identified outside a large cave-like opening 10.5m wide at the entrance, narrowing to less than 5m internally. There is substantial stony infill, with an interior height ranging from 2.7m at the entrance to less than 0.4m at the backwall. Archaeological excavation of a limestone shelf above this mine revealed the site of a mining settlement where huts and ore processing areas can be linked to the users of Beaker pottery. There are no visible remains in this area today. Early Christian period Excavation of settlement areas within Ross Island mine uncovered sub-surface evidence for copper smelting between c. 650-725 AD. Furnaces and slag deposits from this period were identified at four locations, however these are not visible today. Post-Medieval Historical research confirms at least ten phases of copper mining at Ross Island during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The mineral deposit was first prospected by the Kenmare estate in 1707. Sporadic attempts at mining followed, leading to industrial operations between 1804-29 that raised some 5000 tons of copper ore for sale to the Swansea smelters. Mining concluded in 1829 due to commercial difficulties and problems caused by lake flooding. Shortly afterwards, the mine landscape was restored by the Kenmare estate, resulting in the infilling of mine workings and the demolition of mine buildings. Surviving remains include partly infilled and flooded mine shafts, quarry faces, roads and mine dams. The nineteenth-century mine buildings here included two engine houses, powder magazine, bucking house, jigging house, assay office, workshops and stores, a barracks for miners accommodation and a mine manager's house. None of these buildings are extant today, though foundation features are visible in a few cases. Compiled by: Elizabeth Byrne, Ursula Egan and Sheila Ronan, Archaeological Survey Unit, University College, Cork. Date of upload: 31 January 2011
- KE066-133: Mine - copper, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CKE066-133----. In woodland on the S shore of Ross Island. This record refers to the 18th and 19th century copper mines which are in the vicinity of the prehistoric copper mines (KE066-095----). Compiled by: Elizabeth Byrne, Ursula Egan and Sheila Ronan, Archaeological Survey Unit, University College, Cork. Date of upload: 31 January 2011
- KE066-250: Cave, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CKE066-250----. The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To access available information for research purposes please make an appointment in advance with the Archive Unit (open Fridays 10.00 am – 5.00 pm), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, The Custom House, Dublin 1 D01W6XO or email NMarchive@housing.gov.ie.

Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

## Architectural heritage (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage)

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands in the townland of Ross Island.

## Ground and risks (Radon Risk Map of Ireland, EPA; Landslide Susceptibility Classification and LiDAR, Geological Survey Ireland)

- Radon: About 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home: https://www.epa.ie/environment-and-you/radon/radon-testing/#d.en.82887
- Landslides: Susceptibility moderately high, moderately low, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map; parts are water.
- Terrain model: LiDAR of the Office of Public Works, flown in 2011, at 2 m: tile OPW_186, https://gsi.geodata.gov.ie/downloads/LiDAR/OPW_NASC/OPW_186.zip (ZIP).
- Flooding: the flood maps of the Office of Public Works, https://www.floodinfo.ie/map/floodmaps/, linked only: their licence does not allow re-use.

LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

## Downloads

- DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings, for a drawing program: https://everytownland.com/kerry/ross-island.dxf
- GeoJSON, in WGS 84, for a map: https://everytownland.com/kerry/ross-island.geojson
- KML, for Google Earth: https://everytownland.com/kerry/ross-island.kml

## Homes sold (Residential Property Price Register)

No address of the register names Ross Island with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Kerry: https://everytownland.com/kerry.md

## Neighbouring townlands (National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann)

- Bunrower: https://everytownland.com/kerry/bunrower.md
- Reen: https://everytownland.com/kerry/reen-72414.md

A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.

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Everytownland reads the registered freehold land and the statutory boundaries of Tailte Éireann, the national zoning, planning file and heritage records of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Residential Property Price Register. A parcel is the land of a title, not an address. The owner's name is in the Land Registry of Tailte Éireann: a copy of the folio can be ordered on landdirect.ie, for a fee; this site names no owner. A price is the price recorded for a past sale, not a valuation.

Sources: Cadastral Parcels Freehold, Townlands, Civil Parishes, Baronies, Electoral Divisions and Buildings, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0; national zoning of development plans (GZT, MyPlan) and National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0, applicants not shown; designated sites, National Parks and Wildlife Service, CC BY 4.0; Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service, CC BY 4.0; National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, CC BY 4.0; Residential Property Price Register, Property Services Regulatory Authority, re-used with the source acknowledged.

- Page: https://everytownland.com/kerry/ross-island
- In JSON: https://everytownland.com/api/townland/kerry/ross-island