Smerwick

231 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Smerwick, from 45 m² to 237,637 m² (23.76 ha, 58.72 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary. 5 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland as DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings, or as GeoJSON or KML.

No zone of a development plan covers Smerwick in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 19 Jan 2021Conditional

  EXTEND SOUTHERN (FRONT) ELEVATION, ALTERATIONS TO THE WESTERN ELEVATION AND ALL ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS TO THE EXISTING DWELLING HOUSE ON OUR SITE

  Permission, 1 home · Kerry County Council, 2129

• 25 May 2020Conditional

  CONSTRUCT EXTENSION TO THE SOUTHERN (FRONT) ELEVATION, ALTERATIONS TO THE WESTERN ELEVATION AND ALL ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS TO THE EXISTING DWELLINGHOUSE

  Permission, 1 home · Kerry County Council, 20454

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

• Special Protection Area: Dingle Peninsula SPA 004153
• Proposed Natural Heritage Area: Sybil Point/Carrigbrean 001379

Recorded monuments

• KE033-012 Ringfort - cashel
  Description

  Estimated internal diam. 32m Caherlea/Cathair Léith: Situated on the headland which forms the W side of the entrance to Smerwick Harbour. To N the land rises gently to the ridge known as the Three Sisters, and to S it falls gently to the cliffs which border the harbour. The enclosure was described in the OSNB (Dunurlin, 25) as a circular fort composed chiefly of stone, and Curran (no.4) describes the 8 foot (c. 2.4m) thick enclosing wall as almost completely destroyed. To E and S the site is now defined by straight field walls, but its circular outline is still traceable around the remainder of the perimeter. To W it is defined by merely a difference in height between the level of the raised interior and that of the surrounding field, but to N there are traces of a slight bank. The E segment of the interior is fairly level, but in its W segment a ridge or mound of turf-covered earth and stones extends N-S for 27m. It is c. 0.4m high and a maximum of 6.5m wide. The function of a number of features located along the top of this is not clear. They include a group of large prostrate slabs, a pit now infilled with loose stones, 2 stones set on edge near this latter, and a circular and an oval depression measuring 2m and 2.3m x 1.4m in diameter. Curran noted 2 structures, presumably hut-sites, in the interior. These were 13 feet (c. 4m) and 9 feet (c. 2.7m) in diameter and therefore appear to be too large to be equated with the depressions. The present entrance to a drystone-built souterrain occurs c. 4 to 5m inside the edge of the scarp which defines the W portion of the enclosure. From here a passage extends 1.5m to ENE to meet a 2nd passage running at right angles to it. This latter is up to .85m high and from .6m to 1m in width, but its exact length could not be determined. About 4m from the entrance, the NW end of the passage is blocked by collapsed roofing slabs. However, about 6m beyond this there appears to be an end wall. This is provided, at its SW side, with an entrance gap which may lead to a further chamber or passage. At the SE end of the passage, c. 0.9m from the entrance, a single slab forms the end wall. A neatly executed port-hole, cut out of this at ground level, measures .48m in width x .33m in height. The chamber beyond is now flooded and inaccessible. It has a curved SE end wall and a gap at the E end of the N wall may lead to a further passage or chamber. A piece of pottery was apparently found in the souterrain (O'Sullivan 1931, 509). An unfinished quernstone lies on the surface of the enclosure. Curran noted a 2nd unfinished quernstone, and the landowner knew of 2 others, with complete perforations, which disappeared from the site about 10 years ago. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 589. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013

• KE033-012001 Souterrain
  Description

  Caherlea/Cathair Léith: Situated on the headland which forms the W side of the entrance to Smerwick Harbour. The present entrance to a drystone-built souterrain occurs c. 4 to 5m inside the edge of the scarp which defines the W portion of the enclosure. From here a passage extends 1.5m to ENE to meet a 2nd passage running at right angles to it. This latter is up to .85m high and from .6m to 1m in width, but its exact length could not be determined. About 4m from the entrance, the NW end of the passage is blocked by collapsed roofing slabs. However, about 6m beyond this there appears to be an end wall. This is provided, at its SW side, with an entrance gap which may lead to a further chamber or passage. At the SE end of the passage, c. 0.9m from the entrance, a single slab forms the end wall. A neatly executed port-hole, cut out of this at ground level, measures .48m in width x .33m in height. The chamber beyond is now flooded and inaccessible. It has a curved SE end wall and a gap at the E end of the N wall may lead to a further passage or chamber. A piece of pottery was apparently found in the souterrain (O'Sullivan 1931, 509). The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 589. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013

• KE033-012003 Hut site
  Description

  Caherlea/Cathair Léith: Situated on the headland which forms the W side of the entrance to Smerwick Harbour. Curran noted 2 structures, presumably hut-sites, in the interior. These were 13 feet (c. 4m) (KE033-012004-) and 9 feet (c. 2.7m) (KE033-012003-) in diameter and therefore appear to be too large to be equated with the depressions. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 589. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013

• KE033-012004 Hut site
  Description

  Caherlea/Cathair Léith: Situated on the headland which forms the W side of the entrance to Smerwick Harbour. Curran noted 2 structures, presumably hut-sites, in the interior. These were 13 feet (c. 4m) (KE033-012004-) and 9 feet (c. 2.7m) (KE033-012003-) in diameter and therefore appear to be too large to be equated with the depressions. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 589. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013

• KE042-001 Clochan
  Description

  Clochán Dhonncha: Place-name suggests former pre-sence of a clochaun (O'Sullivan 1937, 509). The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 1516. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 5 August 2013

• KE042-002001 Promontory fort - coastal
  Description

  National Monument No. 10018. Westropp, writing in 1910, commented that ‘Nearly every suitable headland that I have met in Mayo, Aran, Clare, Waterford, Wexford, and Dublin, with most of those in Cork, have proved to be fortified, so we may be permitted to suppose that the very suitable little headland in Smerwick was not without its early occupants and defences.’ (Westropp 1910, 199) While it appears likely that a promontory fort existed here at a much earlier period, the later fortifications, dating from 1579-80, probably have removed or obscure evidence of the previous works. Compiled by: Paul Walsh Date of upload: 7 November 2017

• KE042-002002 Hut site
  Description

  Within the promontory fort (KE042-002001-) are the remains of four hut sites (see plan in Cuppage 1986, 426, Fig. 235). These probably date to the 1579-80 when the fort was converted to a fortification (see KE042-002003-). Compiled by: Paul Walsh Date of upload: 7 November 2017

• KE042-002003 Bastioned fort
  Description

  National Monument No. 10018. Dún an Óir: On 28 August 1580, a fleet of 6 ships, carrying about 700 to 800 Spaniards, Italians and Irish led by Sebastiano di San Giuseppe, set sail from Santander on route for Dingle to support the Desmond Rebellion. The fleet dropped anchor in Smerwick Harbour in September 1580, and the force proceeded to fortify Dún an Óir (Castel del Oro), a small cliff promontory on the W side of the harbour, where Piers Rice had built a 'petty castel' about a year before. The fortifications were not completed before the arrival of the government forces and the commencement of the siege on 7 November. The main government force under Lord Grey was joined on land by a force under the Earl of Ormond, and Admiral Winter's fleet effectively blockaded the harbour. The siege lasted only 3 days, and, despite the fact that the fort had provisions enough for 6 months and arms and ammunition enough for 4000 men, the garrison of about 600 surrendered on 10 October and all but about 20, including women, were massacred on the same day. (O'Rahilly 1937, 1-15, 65-83; Jones 1954, 41-2; Ó Tuathaigh 1980) Contemporary plans of the fort show a small oval promontory enclosed by a rampart, the approach to which was defended by a deep narrow causeway spanned by a drawbridge. The land immediately adjoining the promontory was also enclosed by a rampart of 2 bastions with an external fosse. Four gun emplacements were shown, their positions corresponding closely to the positions marked X on the accompanying plan [Cuppage 1986, 426, Fig. 235], and buildings and tents constructed within the ramparts were also depicted. (Gowen 1979, 268-72). The present remains at the site indicate that these contemporary plans were quite accurate. The remains of the landward defences, though very weathered, compare well with those depicted on the plans. The rampart, surviving to a maximum height of 1.5m, cuts off the landward approach to the promontory, enclosing a roughly triangular area 30m x 40m x 40m. The remains of 2 roughly-built bastions are discernible, though very recent disturbance of the area on which the northern bastion had been situated has totally destroyed its surviving remains. The shallow fosse outside the rampart was probably not much deeper originally and it roughly follows the line of defence of the bastions. Between this area and the oval promontory is a deep gully with a narrow causeway. The promontory itself measures roughly 26 x 16m and is surrounded, except for the E tip, by a low earthen bank, the exterior of which may originally have been revetted. At the points marked X on the accompanying plan are small, bastion-type thickenings on the bank which correspond to the gun emplacements shown on the contemporary plans. Inside the promontory enclosure, the outlines of several huts are traceable. (Gowen 1979) Recent digging on the site unearthed a small number of finds including cannon balls, a rimsherd of a 'type of good class continental ware of the period', a buckle from a 16th century military uniform, a lead ingot and 4 fragments of a cast bronze gun (Snoddy 1972, 247-8). According to local tradition the victims of the massacre were decapitated in a nearby field known as Gort na Gearradh (the field of the cutting), their corpses thrown into the sea, and their heads buried in the fields known as Gort na gCeann (the field of the heads), about 500m to S of the fort. There is also a local tradition that the bodies subsequently washed up from the sea were interred at Teampall Bán in Caherquin townland (KE042-052----). The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 1519. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 5 August 2013

• KE042-003 Burial ground
  Description

  16th century mass burial ground described by Cuppage (1986, 424-5, no. 1519) as follows; 'Dún an Óir [KE042-002001-]: On 28 August 1580, a fleet of 6 ships, carrying about 700 to 800 Spaniards, Italians and Irish led by Sebastiano di San Giuseppe, set sail from Santander on route for Dingle to support the Desmond Rebellion. The fleet dropped anchor in Smerwick Harbour in September 1580, and the force proceeded to fortify Dún an Óir (Castel del Oro), a small cliff promontory on the W side of the harbour, where Piers Rice had built a 'perty castel' about a year before. The fortifications were not completed before the arrival of the government forces and the commencement of the siege on 7 November. The main government force under Lord Grey was joined on land by a force under the Earl of Ormond, and Admiral Winter's fleet effectively blockaded the harbour. The siege lasted only 3 days, and, despite the fact that the fort had provisions enough for 6 months and arms and ammunition enough for 4000 men, the garrison of about 600 surrendered on 10 October and all but about 20, including women, were massacred on the same day (O'Rahilly 1937, 1-15, 65-83; Jones 1954, 41-2; Ó Tuathaigh 1980). According to local tradition the victims of the massacre were decapitated in a nearby field known as Gort na Gearradh (the field of the cutting), their corpses thrown into the sea, and their heads buried in the fields known as Gort na gCeann (the field of the heads), about 500m to S of the fort [KE042-002003-]. There is also a local tradition that the bodies subsequently washed up from the sea were interred at Teampall Bin in Caherquin townland (991) [KE042-052----]'. Compiled by; Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 6 April 2022

• KE042-184 Promontory fort - coastal
  Description

  Possible promontory fort described in 2002 as follows; 'A series of six headlands along the coast south of Dún an Óir all show very slight evidence of having been cut off from the mainland by either earthen banks or ditches. The two northernmost ones have low earthen banks and a levelled drystone wall crossing the neck. The adjacent broad rectangular one has the remains of a wide levelled straight bank and faint fosse across the neck while the southernmost one has a slightly curving filled-in fosse defending it. Recent earthen banks cut off the middle two, but vague evidence of earlier defences is also visible. Not enough remains to ascertain the exact nature of the remains but all headlands are potential promontory forts that deserve further investigation' (Casey 2002, 68 DD).

• KE042-185 Promontory fort - coastal
  Description

  Possible promontory fort described in 2002 as follows; 'A series of six headlands along the coast south of Dún an Óir all show very slight evidence of having been cut off from the mainland by either earthen banks or ditches. The two northernmost ones have low earthen banks and a levelled drystone wall crossing the neck. The adjacent broad rectangular one has the remains of a wide levelled straight bank and faint fosse across the neck while the southernmost one has a slightly curving filled-in fosse defending it. Recent earthen banks cut off the middle two, but vague evidence of earlier defences is also visible. Not enough remains to ascertain the exact nature of the remains but all headlands are potential promontory forts that deserve further investigation' (Casey 2002, 68 DD).

• KE042-186 Promontory fort - coastal
  Description

  Possible promontory fort described in 2002 as follows; 'A series of six headlands along the coast south of Dún an Óir all show very slight evidence of having been cut off from the mainland by either earthen banks or ditches. The two northernmost ones have low earthen banks and a levelled drystone wall crossing the neck. The adjacent broad rectangular one has the remains of a wide levelled straight bank and faint fosse across the neck while the southernmost one has a slightly curving filled-in fosse defending it. Recent earthen banks cut off the middle two, but vague evidence of earlier defences is also visible. Not enough remains to ascertain the exact nature of the remains but all headlands are potential promontory forts that deserve further investigation' (Casey 2002, 68 DD).

• KE042-187 Promontory fort - coastal
  Description

  Possible promontory fort described in 2002 as follows; 'A series of six headlands along the coast south of Dún an Óir all show very slight evidence of having been cut off from the mainland by either earthen banks or ditches. The two northernmost ones have low earthen banks and a levelled drystone wall crossing the neck. The adjacent broad rectangular one has the remains of a wide levelled straight bank and faint fosse across the neck while the southernmost one has a slightly curving filled-in fosse defending it. Recent earthen banks cut off the middle two, but vague evidence of earlier defences is also visible. Not enough remains to ascertain the exact nature of the remains but all headlands are potential promontory forts that deserve further investigation' (Casey 2002, 68 DD).

• KE042-188 Promontory fort - coastal
  Description

  Possible promontory fort described in 2002 as follows; 'A series of six headlands along the coast south of Dún an Óir all show very slight evidence of having been cut off from the mainland by either earthen banks or ditches. The two northernmost ones have low earthen banks and a levelled drystone wall crossing the neck. The adjacent broad rectangular one has the remains of a wide levelled straight bank and faint fosse across the neck while the southernmost one has a slightly curving filled-in fosse defending it. Recent earthen banks cut off the middle two, but vague evidence of earlier defences is also visible. Not enough remains to ascertain the exact nature of the remains but all headlands are potential promontory forts that deserve further investigation' (Casey 2002, 68 DD).

• KE042-189 Promontory fort - coastal
  Description

  Possible promontory fort described in 2002 as follows; 'A series of six headlands along the coast south of Dún an Óir all show very slight evidence of having been cut off from the mainland by either earthen banks or ditches. The two northernmost ones have low earthen banks and a levelled drystone wall crossing the neck. The adjacent broad rectangular one has the remains of a wide levelled straight bank and faint fosse across the neck while the southernmost one has a slightly curving filled-in fosse defending it. Recent earthen banks cut off the middle two, but vague evidence of earlier defences is also visible. Not enough remains to ascertain the exact nature of the remains but all headlands are potential promontory forts that deserve further investigation' (Casey 2002, 68 DD).

Architectural heritage

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

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. 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).

Radon

At the centre of the townland of Smerwick, about 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

The 1:50,000 map rates the landslide susceptibility here as high, moderately high, moderately low, low, partly inferred.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Smerwick.

Flooding

The Office of Public Works publishes its flood maps on floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, and Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland, both under CC BY 4.0. 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.

No address of the register names Smerwick with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Kerry.

Name

Smerwick · Ard na Caithne

Area

1,931,579 m² (193.16 ha, 477.3 acres)

Civil parish

Dunurlin, and its townlands

Barony

Corkaguiny

Electoral division

Dunurlin, the unit of the census

Census 2022

481 people lived in 204 households in the Dunurlin electoral division. 77% of households owned their home. 28% of homes were built since 2001. 5% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 45% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Farranlateeve

Gaeltacht

In an Irish-speaking area

Placenames

Smerwick on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. 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.