Ballycarty

23 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Ballycarty, from 9 m² to 381,369 m² (38.14 ha, 94.24 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary. 24 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 Ballycarty 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.

• 10 Dec 2025Conditional

  Planning permission to construct a new dwelling house complete with all ancillary site works associated with the development including a detached Garage/store to the north East side of the proposed dwelling and connection to the existing central wastewater treatment facility on our site

  Permission · Kerry County Council, 2561152

• 30 May 2025Conditional

  Mark & Michelle Duggan intend to apply to Kerry County Council for planning permission to construct a dwelling house complete with all ancillary site works associated with the development including garden room/gym to the rear (north) of the site and connection to the existing central wastewater treatment facility on our site at No. 3 “Roscartan”, Ballycarty, Tralee, County Kerry.

  Permission · Kerry County Council, 2560464

• 16 Apr 2025Conditional

  The development consists of the retention permission to retain the existing rock armour flood defence along part of the bank of the River Lee

  Retention · Kerry County Council, 2560302

• 10 Apr 2025Conditional

  DEMOLISH AN EXISTING DWELLING AND OUTBUILDINGS AND TO CONSTRUCT A DORMER STYLE DWELLING SERVICED WITH A NEW MECHANICAL TREATMENT UNIT AND RAISED SAND POLISHING FILTER ALL LOCATED

  Permission · Kerry County Council, 2593

• 11 Mar 2025N/a

  The development consists of the retention permission to retain the existing rock armour flood defence along part of the bank of the River Lee

  Retention · Kerry County Council, 2560168

• 9 Jan 2025Conditional

  The development consists of the retention of 3 no. cabins for habitation on the grounds of the Earl of Desmond Hotel, Ballyseedy, Tralee, County Kerry

  Retention · Kerry County Council, 2560004

• 18 Jul 2024Conditional

  Planning permission to construct a new dwelling house complete with all ancillary site works associated with the development including a Garage/store to the north side of the proposed dwelling and connection to the existing central wastewater treatment facility on our site

  Permission, 1 home · Kerry County Council, 2460473

• 3 Jul 2024N/a

  Invalid SN: The development consists of the retention permission to retain a portion of the existing rockarmouring and the complete bankside walkway, and permission to remove a portion of the existing rockarmouring at the above address.

  Retention · Kerry County Council, 2460429

• 13 May 2024Conditional

  Planning permission to construct a new dwelling house complete with all ancillary site works associated with the development including a garden room/Gym to the rear north of the site and connection to the existing central wastewater treatment facility

  Permission, 1 home · Kerry County Council, 2460292

• 22 Dec 2023Conditional

  Planning permission to construct a new dwelling house complete with all ancillary site works associated with the development including connection to the existing central wastewater treatment facility

  Permission, 1 home · Kerry County Council, 2360453

• 20 Nov 2023Refused

  Outline Permission for the erection of a dwelling house with an effluent treatment system and carrying out associated site works and services

  Outline permission, 1 home · Kerry County Council, 2360342

• 23 Jan 2023Conditional

  RETAIN (A) DOMESTIC SHED AND CONCRETE HARDSTAND, AND (B) NEW SITE ENTRANCE ASSOCIATED WITH SAME WITHIN REVISED SITE BOUNDARIES

  Retention · Kerry County Council, 2343

• 17 Nov 2022Conditional

  CONSTRUCT A NEW DWELLING HOUSE AND DETACHED DOMESTIC GARAGE COMPLETE WITH CONNECTION TO THE EXISTING CENTRAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY AND ALL ANCILLARY SITE WORKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT

  Permission, 1 home · Kerry County Council, 221188

• 1 Apr 2021Conditional

  CHANGE DESIGN OF DWELLING HOUSE PREVIOUSLY GRANTED UNDER PLANNING REF NO. 11/9718 COMPLETE WITH ALL ANCILLARY SITE WORKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND PERMISSION TO ERECT ASSOCIATED DOMESTIC GARAGE

  Permission, 1 home · Kerry County Council, 21346

• 10 Jul 2020Conditional

  CHANGE THE DESIGN OF THE DWELLING HOUSE PREVIOUSLY GRANTED PLANNING PERMISSION UNDER PLANNING REF. NO. 11/9718 COMPLETE WITH ALL ANCILLARY SITE WORKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT ON SITE NO. 6

  Permission, 1 home · Kerry County Council, 20609

• 2 Aug 2017Conditional

  ERECT 7 NO. STOREY AND A HALF STYLE DORMER DWELLING HOUSES ON SITES 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 AND 8, COMPLETE WITH ALL ANCILLARY SITE WORKS ASSOCIATED WITH SAME

  Extension of duration · Kerry County Council, 119718

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

Designated sites

No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches the townland of Ballycarty.

Recorded monuments

• KE038-022 Enclosure
  Description

  'The only feature on the spur at Ballycarty, which was recorded on previous maps and in the RMP for County Kerry is the centrally placed enclosure. The enclosure has a substantial earth and stone bank which is extant all round the site except for a gap, at least 7m long and possibly as long as 25m, on the northern side where the natural scarp of the hill falls away from the site , so giving this side the appearance of a raised platform. Whether or not the bank ever existed at this point is hard to say , however given the presence of a natural scarp here this would not seem to be the site of any possible entrance. The bank encloses an area 39m N-S and 38m E-W and has a maximum width of 7.6m, on it's southern side. The bank has an average internal height of 0.60m and an average external height of 0.75m. The causeway feature, already described, runs right up to the enclosing bank on the eastern side. Inside the enclosing bank, in the south eastern quadrant, there is a very definite internal ditch 1.6m wide and with an average depth of 0.34m. Elsewhere around the site this ditch may be obscured by collapse from the enclosing bank. Eccentrically placed inside the enclosure is a sub - circular, sod covered cairn of stone measuring 22.6m N-S and 22m E-W with a maximum height of 1.5m . The surface of the cairn exhibits a P-shaped area of collapse measuring 6.5m in total length and 2.5m in width, with an average depth of 0.5m. Running east and west from this central mound is a stone and earth bank on average 4m wide and 0.35m high. On the western side this feature runs right up to the enclosing bank but on the eastern side it stops 3.6m short of the enclosing bank. The bank on the western side is almost perfectly straight while that running from the eastern side has a distinct curvature. Immediately outside and abutting the western side of the central enclosure are four large sub rectangular rock-cut depressions. The most northerly example measures 7.4m X 12m and has an average depth of 0.5m. The second pit measures 10m X 4m and has an average depth of 0.7m . The third measures 4.8m X 1.8m and is 0.5m deep while the most southerly example measures 9 X 7.9m and is 0.75m deep. The exact function of these rock cut depressions is impossible to ascertain but they may be quarry ditches associated with some phase of the construction on the spur.' Description from ‘The Prehistoric Settlement of the Lee Valley, Tralee, Co. Kerry; A Landscape Perspective’ by Michael Connolly. PhD Thesis UCC 2008 Date of upload: 20 June 2012

• KE038-023 Enclosure
  Description

  See field inspection report (diary NF6, 78-9) (SMR file). According to the report, this is a levelled enclosure.

• KE038-024 Enclosure
  Description

  See field inspection report (diary NF6, 80-4) (SMR file). According to the report, this appears to be a levelled enclosure.

• KE038-043---* Castle - unclassified
  Description

  The location of possible castle listed by Coleman (1909, 150) in the townland of Ballycarty (Béal Átha na Ceártan), parish of Ballyseedy, barony of Trughanacmy was thought to have been replaced by Ballycarty House which was built as residence for the Nash family between 1765-70 (Bary 1994, 728). In 1643 the 1641 Deposition of Arthur Blenerhasset was described as 'Arthure Blenerhasset late of Ballycartan, the Countie of Kiery gentleman' (TCD MS 828, fol. 199r). The 1641 Deposition of Josyas White who is described as 'late of the Towne of Ballymacarty parish of Ballyshidy barony of Trehonackne & within the County of keiry weaver (a british protestant duely sworne & examined before us by vertu of his Majesties Commission' who described the existence of a milll associated with 'Edward Thorne one of the ward of ballycarty and miller to Robert Blener=hasset of Ballycarty aforesaid {did?} by the permission of thise said Robert grind Corne oftentimes for the {r}ebelles att the seidge of Tralee and the said Robert had two partes {o}f the toll for the you se use of his mill and since that time the said Edward {h}ath often times ground wheate for Captain Morrish mc Ellegott for to macke {h}im Bisket' (TCD MS 828, fol. 206r; 217r). The 1641 Deposition of Michaell Vine, shoemaker in Tralee recorded that 'about the last of Novemb: Last about the time that the castle of Ballycarty was yeilded up to the rebells they saw these persons sweare upon the bible and on theire knees to the oath of association with the rebbells vizt Robert Blener {Hasset} aforesaid John West of Kilcou Esquire James Conuay of Cloughan gentleman Henry Hudley of the Manee in the parish of Ratlasse gentleman, before Charles mc Carty of the Pal{ace} Esquire Donell Oge mc Carty of nere Kilarney Esquire, Dermod of Dingle Esquire taken before them as Commissioners of the Com Councell in Ballycarty Castle' (TCD MS 828, fol. 209v). The 1641 Deposition of John Abraham stated that; 'about the middle of december 1641 Nicholas Roberts above said he & his wife & two children were forst to goe to <A> a Castle caled Ballycarty about two miles from Tralee and aboute three hundred of men women & children with them & were there from the tyme above mencioned untill the twenteth day of November 1642 & were never beseidged by any of the rebells but the Castle was yelded upp by the constable of the said Castle being a freholder of the said castle under Sir Edward Denny knight one Mr Robert Blenar Hassett of the saide Caste of Ballycarty Esquire and yeilded it upp without the Consent of any of the three above named warders of the same or any other to their knowledge being delivered to Collonell donnell Og mcCarty dwelling nere to Killarny barony of Magunny' (TCD MS 828, fol. 211r). In 1884 the following details about Ballycarty Castle were recorded; 'There is a small square tower on Ballycarty, which was probably a Geraldine fortress before 1584. The castle or mansion mentioned in the depositions stood a little to the south-west of the present Ballyseedy House. Extensive ruins still remain thereabout of a castle or mansion with a bawn or strong outward wall' (Hickson 1884, 124). Ballycarty House was burnt by the Republicans in the Civil War in January 1923. The ruins were mostly cleared when a new Ballycarty House was built at the site in 2009, though it does incorporate some of the 18th century structure. However, recent research by Mark Humphrys identified the remains of a ruinous building located to the NE of Ballycarty House which may be the remains of Ballycarty Castle (https://humphrysfamilytree.com/Blennerhassett/ballycarty.html). In 1786 the following details were recorded about Ballycarty; 'A mile beyond Arbella, on the L.[eft] close to the roadside, are ruins of Ballycarthy castle, the property of Mr. Nash' (Wilson 1786, 186). Ballycarty Castle and its siting was described by local historian Bill Jehan as follows; there is a ruin NE of Ballycarty House. It is the building just E of the "Lodge", on bank of River Lee, near the old bridge over the river. It is close to "an ancient and beautiful bridge that once carried the old coach road to Tralee". According to Bill Jehan the precise location of old Ballycarty Castle is uncertain. It may have been incorporated into the later Ballycarty House, but the parts of Ballycarty watermill, whose ruins survive close by on the bank of the River Lee, appear strong enough to have been defensive - if so perhaps the old castle was adapted to become the mill." During the rebellion of 1641 John Blennerhassett lived in a house within the bawn or "strong outer wall" surrounding Ballycarty Castle, this probably the same house that was later to develop into the 18th century Ballycarty House. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 27 May 2022

• KE038-074 Megalithic tomb - passage tomb
  Description

  Excavations of a Hilltop enclosure (KE038-022----) and passage tomb by Michael Connolly under licence No. 96E0138 was summarised as follows; 'During the summer of 1996 excavations in the townland of Ballycarty, 4km east of Tralee, Co. Kerry, revealed the presence of a complex and unusual archaeological landscape on and around a 200m-long limestone spur, 50m south of the River Lee The excavations were necessitated by the construction of a new link between the existing Killarney Road and Tralee town (the N22), and, while an enclosure had been centrally recorded on the spur, survey showed the spur to have a far more complex history. The passage tomb The area of excavation was on the very western tip of the spur, where, prior to sod-stripping, only a very low undulation of the ground surface was visible. Removal of the sod from this area revealed that the mound was in fact a low stone and earthen cairn with a central 0. 17m-deep depression on its surface. Sod-stripping also revealed the presence of a very collapsed stone rampart which abutted the cairn on its southern side and ran across the western end of the spur. Excavation revealed that the cairn was laid down in alternating layers of stone and earth and covered a small passage tomb. The tomb consisted of three concentric rings of lime. stone boulders, cut by a roughly built passage, 1.4m long, on their western side. The stone rings were excellently preserved in the southern half of the site but had been substantially destroyed in the northern half by the construction of a later stone and earth bank, probably associated with the rampart. The western side of the site also revealed the presence of a well-constructed curved monumental façade. The fa9ade was built of limestone slabs, two courses high in some places, and remained to a height of 1.3m. It had been added to the site during a second phase of activity which saw the construction of a slab and boulder orthostatic passage, c. 3m long, through the façade. This passage led to a subrecrangular rock-cut chamber which may originally have been walled with orthostats, later removed. The chamber measured 1.5m x l.2m. In a final phase of activity at the site, the front (more westerly) half of this Phase 2 passage was restructured and realigned through the addition of a wedge-shaped section of drystone walling to the existing southern side wall and the construction of a completely new drystone section of the northern side wall. Interestingly, the interface between the two differing construction techniques of the extant passage— drystone walling in the outer, more westerly portion and orthostatic construction in the portion nearest the chamber— is marked by the only surviving lintel. The lintel appears to have rolled off two stones which overhang the passage immediately inside (east of) its current position, and indicates a height for the passage at this point of 0.67m. Also during this final phase the existing chamber was replaced by a D-shaped drystone-built chamber, which was placed inside the existing rock-cut feature. This chamber produced a quantity of cremated bone and some worked flints. However, it is important to note that each successive phase of alteration to the site interfered with the previous structure and any associated burials. The enclosure of the spur The most visible feature on the spur, apart from the central enclosure, is a very collapsed enclosing rampart of stone and earth which could initially be seen on the northern and southern sides of the site, running from the western end of the spur to a point just east of the central enclosure. Following sod-stripping on the western end of the spur, a section of rampart linking with that on the southern side, but running over that on the northern side, was uncovered. This section of rampart abutted the south side of the passage tomb but then veered sharply westward to avoid further interference with the burial site. Five excavated sections across this western rampart revealed the presence of two differing construction styles. The majority of the rampart was of very collapsed, random earth and stone construction, except for a section at the northern extent where the rampart was faced, both internally and externally, with a rubble core. At this point the rampart was only 1m wide, whereas in the areas of a more random construction it was as wide as 3.2m'. See attached images taken from Connolly 1999 Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on information supplied by Michael Connolly, County Archaeologist, Kerry Co. Co. Date of upload: 18 May 2022

• KE038-076 Earthwork
  Description

  The 'ramparts' were described by Connolly (1999, 3-4) as follows; 'As part of the preparations for the construction of the new link road (N22) between Ballycarty Cross and the Killarney road, the Office of Public Works requested trial excavations on a portion of the proposed route through the townland of Ballycarty, 4km east of Tralee. The lands in question were situated on the west-facing slope of a limestone (Waulsortian) reef which runs for approximately 200m from the east, westward toward Tralee. The spur is one of the highest points on the floor of the broad, flat valley formed by the Stacks Mountains to the north-north-east and the Slieve Mish to the south-southwest. The River Lee rises in the Stacks Mountains and flows southward to the valley floor before curving sharply to the west on its course to the sea at Blennerville. The river is fed by streams from both mountain ranges. The central location of the spur, close to the broad bend of the river, affords expansive views in al directions, including the most accessible passes through the flanking mountains and two fording-points on the River Lee. The low-lying land around the spur is recorded on early maps as being marshy and this would have given the spur all the appearance of a promontory, the only dry approach being from the east. The spur itself is composed of Carboniferous limestone with a minimal soil cover and contains an extraordinary wealth of fossil evidence. The maximum height of the spur is 32m above sea-level (OD), while the maximum height of the area under investigation is 29.5m. The features on the reef consist of six main elements: (1) the ramparts, (2) the causeway, (3) smaller enclosures, (4) the hilltop enclosure or henge [KE038-022----], (5) quarry ditches, and (6) the cairns. The area of excavation will be described separately as the seventh element of the site. (1) The ramparts The northern side of the reef is enclosed by at least two collapsed stone and earth ramparts, clearly visible at ground level. A possible third rampart can be seen on some aerial photographs but is unidentifiable at ground level. There are also traces of a wide ditch between the two visible ramparts. Only a single rampart can be seen on the southern side, but since the reef is much lower here any further defences would probably have been built on the level land below the reef, and may well have been destroyed during reclamation. Indeed, the marshy nature of the land prior to reclamation may have been deemed sufficient defence for the southern side of the reef. The ramparts are continuous along the western half of the reef but become intermittent and difficult to identify from the mid-point of the spur to its eastern extent. Over most of their length they have been built on the natural breaks in the slope and scarped back into the reef however, toward the eastern end of the reef the rampart on the northern side takes the form of a bank, while the southern side alternates between the scarped construction and a bank feature. The ditch, between the two ramparts on the northern side, is most clearly visible along the eastern half of the reef. It is very shallow, 0.3-0.4m in depth, and has an average width of 3.73m. If this depression does in fact denote a ditch, then it is likely to be rock-cut and has most probably filled up with slipped material from the inner rampart. Initially no trace of these ramparts could be seen on the western or eastern ends of the spur, but sod-stripping later revealed the rampart at the western end. A similar undertaking 1may well expose a rampart cutting off the eastern end of the reef and fill in the gaps in the more intermittent stretches. It also appears likely that some of the many structures at the eastern end of the spur utilise the rampart line, and possibly the their construction. The maximum external height of the rampart where it takes the form of an enhanced scarp is 0.8m, with a maximum width of 3.8m. Where this scarp changes to a conventional bank it has a maximum external height of 0.57m, an internal height of 0.44m and a width of 3.3m. The maximum length of the conventional bank. on the northern side, s 39.5m, while the distance between the double rampart, where it can be defined on the ground, is on average 5.8m. These meandering ramparts enclose an area with minimum measurements of 88m north-south and 200m east-west, covering approximately 1.76 hectares'. See attached images taken from Connolly 1999 Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on information supplied by Michael Connolly, County Archaeologist, Kerry Co. Co. Date of upload: 18 May 2022

• KE038-077 Causeway
  Description

  The 'causeway' was described by Connolly (1999, 4-6) as follows; 'As part of the preparations for the construction of the new link road (N22) between Ballycarty Cross and the Killarney road, the Office of Public Works requested trial excavations on a portion of the proposed route through the townland of Ballycarty, 4km east of Tralee. The lands in question were situated on the west-facing slope of a limestone (Waulsortian) reef which runs for approximately 200m from the east, westward toward Tralee. The spur is one of the highest points on the floor of the broad, flat valley formed by the Stacks Mountains to the north-north-east and the Slieve Mish to the south-southwest. The River Lee rises in the Stacks Mountains and flows southward to the valley floor before curving sharply to the west on its course to the sea at Blennerville. The river is fed by streams from both mountain ranges. The central location of the spur, close to the broad bend of the river, affords expansive views in al directions, including the most accessible passes through the flanking mountains and two fording-points on the River Lee. The low-lying land around the spur is recorded on early maps as being marshy and this would have given the spur all the appearance of a promontory, the only dry approach being from the east. The spur itself is composed of Carboniferous limestone with a minimal soil cover and contains an extraordinary wealth of fossil evidence. The maximum height of the spur is 32m above sea-level (OD), while the maximum height of the area under investigation is 29.5m. The features on the reef consist of six main elements: (1) the ramparts [KE038-076----], (2) the causeway, (3) smaller enclosures, (4) the hilltop enclosure or henge [KE038-022----], (5) quarry ditches, and (6) the cairns. The area of excavation will be described separately as the seventh element of the site. (2) The causeway The eastern end of the spur is the most complicated area of the site. Here the rampart that encloses the rest of the site is not visible on the surface, but a number of other features at this end may be utilising or obscuring its line. The main feature at the eastern end is an embanked causeway-like structure which runs east-west from the level land at the eastern end of the spur right up to the wall of the central enclosure. The north side of the causeway is formed by a bank of earth and stone, utilising the plane of the existing bedrock outcrops, while the southern side is formed predominantly of bedrock outcrop, again augmented by stone and earth. These banks are on average 0.7m high internally, 1.3m high externally and 4m wide. Internally the causeway has a U-shaped profile and is 4.5m in maximum width. The banks on either side are parallel-sided and the total length of the structure is 23m. This feature shows up very well on aerial photographs., and while it has the appearance of some form of causeway or entrance through the enclosing rampart, further investigation would be needed to confirm its exact function'. See attached plan taken from Connolly 1999 Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on information supplied by Michael Connolly, County Archaeologist, Kerry Co. Co. Date of upload: 18 May 2022

• KE038-078 Enclosure
  Description

  The 'small sub-circular enclosure' was described by Connolly (1999, 4-6) as follows; 'As part of the preparations for the construction of the new link road (N22) between Ballycarty Cross and the Killarney road, the Office of Public Works requested trial excavations on a portion of the proposed route through the townland of Ballycarty, 4km east of Tralee. The lands in question were situated on the west-facing slope of a limestone (Waulsortian) reef which runs for approximately 200m from the east, westward toward Tralee. The spur is one of the highest points on the floor of the broad, flat valley formed by the Stacks Mountains to the north-north-east and the Slieve Mish to the south-southwest. The River Lee rises in the Stacks Mountains and flows southward to the valley floor before curving sharply to the west on its course to the sea at Blennerville. The river is fed by streams from both mountain ranges. The central location of the spur, close to the broad bend of the river, affords expansive views in al directions, including the most accessible passes through the flanking mountains and two fording-points on the River Lee. The low-lying land around the spur is recorded on early maps as being marshy and this would have given the spur all the appearance of a promontory, the only dry approach being from the east. The spur itself is composed of Carboniferous limestone with a minimal soil cover and contains an extraordinary wealth of fossil evidence. The maximum height of the spur is 32m above sea-level (OD), while the maximum height of the area under investigation is 29.5m. The features on the reef consist of six main elements: (1) the ramparts [KE038-076----], (2) the causeway [KE038-077----], (3) smaller enclosures, (4) the hilltop enclosure or henge [KE038-022----], (5) quarry ditches, and (6) the cairns. The area of excavation will be described separately as the seventh element of the site. (3) The smaller enclosures Immediately to the south of the causeway [KE038-077----] is the most easterly feature on the spur. This small, subcircular enclosure shows up very clearly on aerial photography but is much harder to define at ground level. The enclosing bank is most clearly defined to the south, where it is 3.7m wide and has an average height of 0.3m. The northern side of the enclosure is formed by the convergence of this horseshoe-shaped bank with the southern side of the causeway-like feature and the natural scarp of the spur. Since the causeway bank is built on a higher terrace of the spur, the northern side of this small enclosure is very steep, with an average height of 0.6m. The feature measures 20m north-south by 21.3m east-west externally and 12.5m north-south by 13.5m east-west internally'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on information supplied by Michael Connolly, County Archaeologist, Kerry Co. Co. Date of upload: 18 May 2022

• KE038-079001 Enclosure
  Description

  The 'most northerly of the two conjoined enclosures' was described by Connolly (1999, 4-6) as follows; 'As part of the preparations for the construction of the new link road (N22) between Ballycarty Cross and the Killarney road, the Office of Public Works requested trial excavations on a portion of the proposed route through the townland of Ballycarty, 4km east of Tralee. The lands in question were situated on the west-facing slope of a limestone (Waulsortian) reef which runs for approximately 200m from the east, westward toward Tralee. The spur is one of the highest points on the floor of the broad, flat valley formed by the Stacks Mountains to the north-north-east and the Slieve Mish to the south-southwest. The River Lee rises in the Stacks Mountains and flows southward to the valley floor before curving sharply to the west on its course to the sea at Blennerville. The river is fed by streams from both mountain ranges. The central location of the spur, close to the broad bend of the river, affords expansive views in al directions, including the most accessible passes through the flanking mountains and two fording-points on the River Lee. The low-lying land around the spur is recorded on early maps as being marshy and this would have given the spur all the appearance of a promontory, the only dry approach being from the east. The spur itself is composed of Carboniferous limestone with a minimal soil cover and contains an extraordinary wealth of fossil evidence. The maximum height of the spur is 32m above sea-level (OD), while the maximum height of the area under investigation is 29.5m. The features on the reef consist of six main elements: (1) the ramparts [KE038-076----], (2) the causeway [KE038-077----], (3) smaller enclosures [KE038-078----], (4) the hilltop enclosure or henge [KE038-022----], (5) quarry ditches, and (6) the cairns. The area of excavation will be described separately as the seventh element of the site. (3) The smaller enclosures The final two features on the eastern end of the spur lie directly outside the eastern end of the causeway [KE038-077----] and take the form of two conjoined subcircular enclosures. The more northerly of the two measures 16.8m north-south by 13.7m east-west externally and 11.5m north-south by 5.4m east-west internally. The enclosing bank is completely sod covered and very denuded, remaining only to an average height of 0.33m, with an average width of 4.6m'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on information supplied by Michael Connolly, County Archaeologist, Kerry Co. Co. Date of upload: 18 May 2022

• KE038-079002 Enclosure
  Description

  The 'most southerly of the two conjoined enclosures' was described by Connolly (1999, 4-6) as follows; 'As part of the preparations for the construction of the new link road (N22) between Ballycarty Cross and the Killarney road, the Office of Public Works requested trial excavations on a portion of the proposed route through the townland of Ballycarty, 4km east of Tralee. The lands in question were situated on the west-facing slope of a limestone (Waulsortian) reef which runs for approximately 200m from the east, westward toward Tralee. The spur is one of the highest points on the floor of the broad, flat valley formed by the Stacks Mountains to the north-north-east and the Slieve Mish to the south-southwest. The River Lee rises in the Stacks Mountains and flows southward to the valley floor before curving sharply to the west on its course to the sea at Blennerville. The river is fed by streams from both mountain ranges. The central location of the spur, close to the broad bend of the river, affords expansive views in al directions, including the most accessible passes through the flanking mountains and two fording-points on the River Lee. The low-lying land around the spur is recorded on early maps as being marshy and this would have given the spur all the appearance of a promontory, the only dry approach being from the east. The spur itself is composed of Carboniferous limestone with a minimal soil cover and contains an extraordinary wealth of fossil evidence. The maximum height of the spur is 32m above sea-level (OD), while the maximum height of the area under investigation is 29.5m. The features on the reef consist of six main elements: (1) the ramparts [KE038-076----], (2) the causeway [KE038-077----], (3) smaller enclosures [KE038-078----], (4) the hilltop enclosure or henge [KE038-022----], (5) quarry ditches, and (6) the cairns. The area of excavation will be described separately as the seventh element of the site. (3) The smaller enclosures The final two features on the eastern end of the spur lie directly outside the eastern end of the causeway [KE038-077----] and take the form of two conjoined subcircular enclosures [KE038-079001-]. The more southerly enclosure is less clearly defined but appears to be subcircular. Again the bank is very low. The feature measures 10.2m north-south by 12m east-west externally and 6.2m north-south by 5.9m east-west internally. The average width of the bank is 3.5m'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on information supplied by Michael Connolly, County Archaeologist, Kerry Co. Co. Date of upload: 18 May 2022

• KE038-080 Cairn - unclassified
  Description

  The 'the most northerly of the two cairns (KE038-081----)' was described by Connolly (1999, 8) as follows; 'As part of the preparations for the construction of the new link road (N22) between Ballycarty Cross and the Killarney road, the Office of Public Works requested trial excavations on a portion of the proposed route through the townland of Ballycarty, 4km east of Tralee. The lands in question were situated on the west-facing slope of a limestone (Waulsortian) reef which runs for approximately 200m from the east, westward toward Tralee. The spur is one of the highest points on the floor of the broad, flat valley formed by the Stacks Mountains to the north-north-east and the Slieve Mish to the south-southwest. The River Lee rises in the Stacks Mountains and flows southward to the valley floor before curving sharply to the west on its course to the sea at Blennerville. The river is fed by streams from both mountain ranges. The central location of the spur, close to the broad bend of the river, affords expansive views in al directions, including the most accessible passes through the flanking mountains and two fording-points on the River Lee. The low-lying land around the spur is recorded on early maps as being marshy and this would have given the spur all the appearance of a promontory, the only dry approach being from the east. The spur itself is composed of Carboniferous limestone with a minimal soil cover and contains an extraordinary wealth of fossil evidence. The maximum height of the spur is 32m above sea-level (OD), while the maximum height of the area under investigation is 29.5m. The features on the reef consist of six main elements: (1) the ramparts [KE038-076----], (2) the causeway [KE038-077----], (3) smaller enclosures [KE038-078----], (4) the hilltop enclosure or henge [KE038-022----], (5) quarry ditches, and (6) the cairns. The area of excavation will be described separately as the seventh element of the site. (6) The cairns The final two features, lying immediately east of the limit of the excavation, appear to be stone cairns. The more northerly of the two is very denuded and its central area is exposed. Here, large boulders and bedrock outcrop appear to denote the line of a 3.1m-long passage leading to a large, subcircular, rock-cut chamber, 1.6m north-south by 2.2m east-west. The surviving cairn is visible all round this exposed central area. The site measures 16.5m north-south by 11.9m east-west'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on information supplied by Michael Connolly, County Archaeologist, Kerry Co. Co. Date of upload: 19 May 2022

• KE038-081 Cairn - unclassified
  Description

  The 'the most southerly of the two cairns (KE038-080----)' was described by Connolly (1999, 8) as follows; 'As part of the preparations for the construction of the new link road (N22) between Ballycarty Cross and the Killarney road, the Office of Public Works requested trial excavations on a portion of the proposed route through the townland of Ballycarty, 4km east of Tralee. The lands in question were situated on the west-facing slope of a limestone (Waulsortian) reef which runs for approximately 200m from the east, westward toward Tralee. The spur is one of the highest points on the floor of the broad, flat valley formed by the Stacks Mountains to the north-north-east and the Slieve Mish to the south-southwest. The River Lee rises in the Stacks Mountains and flows southward to the valley floor before curving sharply to the west on its course to the sea at Blennerville. The river is fed by streams from both mountain ranges. The central location of the spur, close to the broad bend of the river, affords expansive views in al directions, including the most accessible passes through the flanking mountains and two fording-points on the River Lee. The low-lying land around the spur is recorded on early maps as being marshy and this would have given the spur all the appearance of a promontory, the only dry approach being from the east. The spur itself is composed of Carboniferous limestone with a minimal soil cover and contains an extraordinary wealth of fossil evidence. The maximum height of the spur is 32m above sea-level (OD), while the maximum height of the area under investigation is 29.5m. The features on the reef consist of six main elements: (1) the ramparts [KE038-076----], (2) the causeway [KE038-077----], (3) smaller enclosures [KE038-078----], (4) the hilltop enclosure or henge [KE038-022----], (5) quarry ditches, and (6) the cairns. The area of excavation will be described separately as the seventh element of the site. (6) The cairns The final two features, lying immediately east of the limit of the excavation, appear to be stone cairns. The more southerly example could very easily pass for a natural terrace of the spur, but the large stones visible intermittently around its western side may be evidence of a kerb, and the material forming this feature seems to consist of loose stone and earth which has been built up against a natural scarp on the spur. The site has approximate dimensions of 26.2m north-south by 19.4m east-west'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on information supplied by Michael Connolly, County Archaeologist, Kerry Co. Co. Date of upload: 19 May 2022

• KE038-136 Hilltop enclosure
  Description

  'The lands in question were situated on the west facing slope of a limestone spur which runs for approximately 200m from the East, westward toward Tralee. The spur is one of the highest points on the floor of the broad, flat valley, formed by the Stacks Mountains to the north - north-east and the Slieve Mish to the south - south-west. The River Lee rises in the Stacks mountains and flows southward to the valley floor before curving sharply to the west on its course to the sea at Blennerville. The river is fed by streams from both mountain ranges as it flows toward the sea. The central location of the spur, close to the broad bend of the river, affords expansive views of all directions, including the most accessible passes through the flanking mountains , as well as two fording points on the River Lee. The low lying land around the spur is recorded, on early edition maps, as being marshy and this would have given the spur all the appearance of a promontory, the only dry shod approach being from the East. Aerial photography would appear to indicate that the area around the spur was reclaimed and this is substantiated by the current landowner and the O.S. 1st Edition map. The spur itself is composed of carboniferous limestone with a minimal soil cover and contains an extraordinary wealth of fossil evidence. The maximum height of the spur is 32m above sea level (O.D.), while the maximum height of the area under investigation is 29.5m . The O.S. 6" and 25" Ist Edition maps for the area, as well as the Sites and Monuments Record for County Kerry, recorded the presence of an enclosure centrally placed on the limestone spur (KE038-022----). However, a survey of the spur indicated a far more complex site than previously recorded. The northern side of the spur is enclosed by two collapsed stone and earth ramparts, the inner clearly visible at ground level, while the outer is very hard to see except in good light. Only a single rampart can be seen on the southern side. The ramparts are continuous along the western half of the spur but become intermittent and difficult to identify from the mid-point of the spur to its eastern extent. Over most of their length the ramparts have been built on the natural breaks in the slope and scarped back into the spur, however , toward the eastern end of the spur the rampart, on the northern side, takes the form of a bank , while the southern side alternates between the scarped construction and that of a bank feature. Initially, no trace of these ramparts could be seen on the western or eastern ends of the spur, however sod stripping later revealed the rampart at the western end and a similar undertaking may well expose a rampart cutting off the eastern end of the spur and fill in the gaps in the more intermittent stretches. It also appears likely that some of the many structures at the eastern end of the spur are utilising the rampart line and possibly the rampart itself, as part of their construction. • The maximum external height of the rampart where it takes the form of an enhanced scarp is 0.8m with a maximum width of 3.8m. Where this scarp changes to a conventional bank it has a maximum external height of 0.57m, internal height of 0.44m and width of 3.3m. • The maximum length of the conventional bank , on the northern side, is 39.5m, while the distance between the double rampart, where it can be defined on the ground, is 5.3m. There is no indication of a ditch associated with the ramparts. • These meandering ramparts enclose an area measuring 88m N-S and 200m E-W with an approximate area of 1.76 hectares. The eastern end of the spur is the most complicated area of the site. Here the rampart that encloses the rest of the site is not visible on the surface but a number of other features at this end may be utilising or obscuring it's line. The main feature at the eastern end is an embanked causeway like structure which runs east west from the level land at the eastern end of the spur right up to the enclosing wall of the centrally placed enclosure, originally recorded at the site. The north side of the causeway is formed by a bank of earth and stone, utilising the plane of the existing bedrock outcrops, while the southern side is formed predominantly of bedrock outcrop, again augmented by stone and earth. The average dimensions of these banks are 0.7m high internally, 1.3m high externally and 4m wide. Internally the causeway has a U - shaped profile and is 4.5m in maximum width. The banks on either side are parallel sided and the total length of the structure is 23m. This feature shows up very well on aerial photographs and, while it has the appearance of some form of causeway or entrance through the enclosing rampart, further investigation would be needed to confirm its exact function. Immediately abutting the northern bank of this causeway like feature is a sub-circular depression, which seems to have been formed by the convergence of the main rampart, the central enclosure and the northern bank of the causeway feature. The depression measures 7.2m N-S, 11.5m E-W and has an average depth of 0.55m. Immediately to the south of the causeway feature is the most easterly feature on the spur. This small sub-circular enclosure shows up very clearly on aerial photography but is much harder to define at ground level. The enclosing bank is most clearly defined to the south where it is 3.7m wide and has an average height of 0.30m. The northern side of this enclosure is formed by the convergence of this horse-shoe shaped bank with the southern side of causeway like feature and the natural scarp of the spur. Given the fact that the causeway bank is built on a higher terrace of the spur, the northern side of this small enclosure is very steep and has an average height of 0.6m. The feature measures 20m N-S and 21.3m E-W externally and 12.5m N-S and 13.5m E-W internally.' Compiled by Michael Connolly for the Archaeological Survey of Ireland as part of a survey of the Lee Valley area in 1996-97. Date of upload: 30 April 2012

• KE038-168 Water mill - unclassified
  Description

  The ruins of Ballycarty watermill stands on the demesne lands of Ballycarty House located on site of Ballycarty Castle (KE038-043----) located 160m to SW. Small keyhole archaeological excavation at the ruins of Ballycarty watermill under licence No. 10E0229 by Laurence Dunne in 2010 was summarised as follows; 'A large, possibly 17th-century, building is located at the north-east corner of a small housing development in Ballycarty townland, Tralee, Co. Kerry. The structure is situated on the west bank of an unnamed tributary of the River Lee. This unusual building has often been referred to locally as a castle or a mill. It would appear that the current edifice was an earlier 17th-century defended structure that was added or remodelled in the post-Cromwellian period. The building is structurally unsafe and consolidation works are proposed. In advance of the consolidation works, a single cutting 1.2m in width and 1m in length was excavated to an average depth of 0.35m by hand over the visible extant ragged limits of an internal rib wall to determine its subsurface extent in order to expose a consolidation footing for possible future conservation works. The small keyhole excavation revealed a number of fallen or tumbled limestone within a dark organic-rich topsoil that lay directly on the subsurface remains of the 0.45m-thick rib-wall that was exposed for a distance of 0.7m. No further excavation was required and no finds were recovered' (www.excavations.ie 2010:370). The watermill of Ballycarty belonged to Robert Blennerhasset of Ballycarty Castle (KE038-043----) and in 1641 the miller's name was Edward Thorne. This watermill is mentioned in the 1641 Deposition of a weaver by the name of Josyas White who is described as 'late of the Towne of Ballymacarty' and who described the existence of a mill associated with 'Edward Thorne one of the ward of ballycarty and miller to Robert Blenerhasset of Ballycarty aforesaid {did?} by the permission of thise said Robert grind Corne oftentimes for the {r}ebelles att the seidge of Tralee and the said Robert had two partes {o}f the toll for the use of his mill and since that time the said Edward {h}ath often times ground wheate for Captain Morrish mc Ellegott for to macke {h}im Bisket' (TCD MS 828, fol. 206r; 217r). Mark Humphrys has suggested that the remains of this building located to the NE of Ballycarty House which may be the remains of Ballycarty Castle (https://humphrysfamilytree.com/Blennerhassett/ballycarty.html). In 1786 the following details were recorded about Ballycarty; 'A mile beyond Arbella, on the L.[eft] close to the roadside, are ruins of Ballycarthy castle, the property of Mr. Nash' (Wilson 1786, 186). According to local historian, Bill Jehan, the precise location of old Ballycarty Castle is uncertain. It may have been incorporated into the later Ballycarty House, but the parts of Ballycarty watermill, whose ruins survive close by on the bank of the River Lee, appear strong enough to have been defensive - if so perhaps the old castle was adapted to become the mill". See attached photographs of watermill taken by Bill Jehan in 2004 (https://humphrysfamilytree.com/Blennerhassett/Jehan/Ballycarty.Castle/2.jpg) Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 2 June 2022

Architectural heritage

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

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 Ballycarty, 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 moderately high, moderately low, low, partly inferred.

Terrain model

LiDAR of the Office of Public Works, flown in 2011, at 2 m: tile OPW_161 (ZIP).

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 Ballycarty with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Kerry.

Name

Ballycarty · Béal Átha na Ceártan

Area

743,662 m² (74.37 ha, 183.76 acres)

Civil parish

Ballyseedy, and its townlands

Barony

Trughanacmy

Electoral division

Ballyseedy, the unit of the census

Census 2022

1,968 people lived in 638 households in the Ballyseedy electoral division. 71% of households owned their home. 48% of homes were built since 2001. 6% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 1% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Ballindooganig, Ballymacthomas, Ballyseedy, Caherbreagh, Clashedmond, Curraghmacdonagh, Dromavally

Placenames

Ballycarty 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.