Kilmurry

Area

2,824 m² (0.28 ha, 0.7 acres)

Buildings

1 building touches it. Its footprint covers 124 m².

Zoning

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

Townland

Kilmurry

Planning applications on this parcel

• 7 Apr 2020Conditional

  the construction of a two storey dwelling house, wastewater treatment system, percolation area, entrance and all ancillary site works

  Permission, 1 home · Limerick County Council, 20295

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 this parcel.

Recorded monuments around it

This parcel is in the zone of notification of 49 recorded monuments.

• LI048-034001 Field system
  Description

  In reclaimed pasture, located on the 'Supposed Site of Temaír Erann', which was the ancient cemetery of the Ernai tribe on Slievereagh (Sliabh Riabhach) (Westropp 1919, 9; Westropp 1917-19, 179; Westropp 1918, 111) and associated with an archaeological complex (LI048-034006/042-). Excavations carried out by Ó Ríordáin (1940, 140-145) between 1934-5 revealed sections of the field system and were described as following; ‘Our attention was in the first instance directed to the traces of ancient fields connected with the Cush site by reason of the fact that on the eastern side of the Southern Group of ring-forts (LI048-034016-; 025/028-) there ran two field fences which were in approximately the same straight line as the defences of the Enclosure on the western side of the group. The southern of these two field fences joins Ring 5 [LI048-034016-] and is shown on the Ordnance Map in the same way as are the modern field fences; the northern one joins Ring 3 [LI048-034027-] and is not shown on the map, not being so well defined as the other, though comparatively easy to follow on the ground, nevertheless. Both of these fences join the long fence which runs northwards along the contour of the hill-side and which is marked as a modern field-fence on the map. When we noticed that these banks had the same general directions as the defences of the Enclosure, we were first inclined to think that we had found its counterpart in a similar, though more simply defended, enclosure on the eastern side of the ring-forts [LI048-034016-; 025/028-]. Further study of the site, however showed this to be the wrong view-point and showed that these field banks were really part of a series of such to be found in the main running parallel to these along the hillside to the north. That these field fences formed part of a great system older than the present-day system was proved by their relation to the latter. The modern field boundaries ignore the ancient earthworks. The older banks, on contrary, ignore the modern ones but respect the ring-forts. Thus we find an old field-bank crossing (or, rather, running under) the modern one on the eastern side of the field containing the Northern Group [LI048-034007/008-; 036/037]-) but stopping at the edge of Ring 8 [LI048-034037-]. Again, another ancient fence runs immediately alongside a modern one east of Ring 2 [LI048-034026-], while the modern one continues across it. We have thus got proof that this ancient field system pre-dates the present-day one but we have not yet got proof of how much older it is. Cross-section on the old fences showed them to consist of a very low bank and a silted-up trench. The bank was found to be usually about 1½ feet [0.45m] in height above the original turf level on which it had been built. The trench beside it had on the average a depth of about three feet [0.91m]. The junction of the field-fences with the fosses of the ring-forts were investigated at various points and led to more definite results. In each case the field-fence either cut into one side of the fosse (junction of fence at east side of tumuli with Ring 7 [LI048-034008-] or stopped immediately short of the fosse ( Ring 3 [LI048-034027-] and Ring 5 [ LI048-034016-]).’ Excavations of the field system in the Western field were described by Ó Ríordáin (1940, 121-124) as follows; ‘Trial cuttings to the north and south of House f [LI048-034022-] revealed completely silted-up trenches running east and west down the slope of the field. These are shown on the plan of the field. They are evidently the trenches of an early field system and the fact that two trenches appear to run parallel and close to each other at the north-western corner of the field suggests change of the field boundaries. As there was no suggestion of these trenches on the surface of the field nor of the banks which, we presume, accompanied them, it would have been too difficult a task to trace all the courses of the trenches. It was, however, evident that the field system they represented was earlier that the defences of the Enclosure, since we found, at the point of juncture of the northern trench with the corner of the fosse of the rectangle, that the red sandstone cut from the bottom of the fosse had been thrown into the trench. These trenches are again referred to in dealing with the general question of the early fields on the site later in this paper.’ Archaeological test-excavations in the W quadrant of the field system, immediately N of two urn burials (LI048-034013-/014-) were undertaken by Avril Hayes in 2002 (Licence No. 02E1619) and results summarised as following; ‘Test-trenching before a single-house development did not reveal anything of archaeological significance. The development was within the zone of potential of an archaeological complex. Four trenches were excavated across the development area, revealing a stratigraphy of dark red/brown topsoil, 0.3–0.6m deep, overlying the natural, dark grey/brown clay.’ Field system visible today as linear banks and cropmarks running perpendicular to each other on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13 and on Google Earth orthoimages. See attached plans from Ó Ríordáin and Google Earth orthoimages. Compiled by: Fiona Rooney Date of upload: 7 September 2021

• LI048-034002 Earthwork
  Description

  In pasture, 50m NE of Glennacroghery Stream, in NE quadrant of an archaeological complex (LI048-034001/035-), enclosure (LI048-034003-) lies 50m to the SW. Not marked on the 1840 or 1897 ed. OSi historic maps. Poorly preserved earthwork is partially depicted on the Cassini ed. OSi 6-inch map as a semi-circular shaped area (dims. c. 21m N-S; 37m E-W) defined by a scarp from E-S-W and fosse from S-W, intersected at SE by a road running NE-SW. Described by Ó Ríordáin (1940, 86) as one of three forts in the townland of Cush, consisting of ‘the raised-centre, flat top kind’. Outline of semi-circular shaped earthwork visible on oblique aerial photograph (CUCAP BGK051) taken 17/07/1971. Curving arc of fosse at S with faint trace of fosse at N visible on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13. Also visible are two linear cropmarks running NW-SE, intersecting the monument at W and N. The linear cropmark at N is a relic post-1700 relic field boundary depicted on the 1897 ed. OSi 25-inch map. Faint trace of circular cropmark visible on Google Earth orthoimage dated 19/03/2015. See attached plan from Ó Ríordáin, Google Earth orthoimages and oblique aerial photograph. Compiled by: Fiona Rooney Date of upload: 13 August 2021

• LI048-034003 Earthwork
  Description

  In pasture, 12m NE of Glounnacroghery Stream, in NE quadrant of an archaeological complex (LI048-034001/035-), enclosure (LI048-034002-) lies 50m to the NW. Not marked on the 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map. Depicted on the 1897 ed. OSi 25-inch map as a raised sub-rectangular shaped platform (dims. c. 23m NW-SE; 18m NE-SW) defined by a scarp. Earthwork described by Ó Ríordáin (1940, 86) as one of three forts in the townland of Cush, consisting of ‘the raised-centre, flat top kind’. Westropp (1918, 119) recorded this as one of ‘the rings to either side of the gully of Glounnacroghera.’ Outline of circular-shaped earthwork defined by a scarp with an external bank visible on oblique aerial photograph (CUCAP BGK051) taken 17/07/1971. Monument visible as a sub-rectangular shaped area defined by a scarp with fosse, intersected at N by a linear cropmark running NW-SE on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13 and on Google Earth orthoimages. The linear cropmark at N is a relic post-1700 relic field boundary depicted on the 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map. A rectangular-shaped cropmark (dims. c. 8m NW-SE; 18m NE-SW) is visible to the E of the earthwork on OSi orthophotograph taken between 2005-2012. See attached plan from Ó Ríordáin, Google Earth orthoimages and CUCAP oblique aerial photograph. Compiled by: Fiona Rooney Date of upload: 8 September 2021

• LI048-034004 Earthwork
  Description

  In pasture, 55m NE of Glounnacroghery Stream, N of an archaeological complex (LI048-034001/035-), enclosure (LI048-034003-) lies 90m to the W. Not marked on OSi historic maps. Described by Ó Ríordáin (1940, 86) as Site A; ‘which, though almost level, can, by careful examination, be discerned on the ground surface.’ Faint outline of circular-shaped earthwork visible on oblique aerial photograph (CUCAP BGK051) taken 17/07/1971. Monument visible as a D-shaped cropmark, intersected at E by a post-1700 field boundary running NE-SW on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13 and on Google Earth orthoimages. A linear cropmark running NW-SE depicted on the Cassini ed. OSi 6-inch map, is visible to the S of the monument. See attached plan from Ó Ríordáin, Google Earth orthoimages and oblique aerial photograph. Compiled by: Fiona Rooney Date of upload: 24 August 2021

• LI048-034005 Earthwork
  Description

  In pasture, immediately SW of Glounnacroghery Stream, in the N quadrant of an archaeological complex (LI048-034001/035-). Not marked on 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map. Depicted on the 1897 ed. OSi 25-inch map as a raised oval-shaped area (dims. c. 24m NW-SE; 28m NE-SW) defined by a scarp overlooking ravine to NE. Shown on the Caisini ed. OSi 6-inch map as a raised oval-shaped platform defined by a scarp with external fosse from E-SSE. Described by Ó Ríordáin (1940, 86) as one of three forts in the townland of Cush, consisting of ‘the raised-centre, flat top kind’. Westropp (1918, 119) recorded this monument as one of ‘the rings to either side of the gully of Glounnacroghera.’ Outline of circular-shaped earthwork visible on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13 and on Google Earth orthoimages. Also visible is the scrub-filled fosse to the SE of the monument as depicted on the Cassini ed. OSi 6-inch map. See attached plan from Ó Ríordáin and Google Earth orthoimages. Compiled by: Fiona Rooney Date of upload: 24 August 2021

• LI048-034006 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  National monument No. 663. The most northerly site in a group of 23 monuments (LI048-034007-/042-) located on the 'Supposed Site of Temair Erann', which was the ancient cemetery of the Ernai tribe on Slievereagh (Sliabh Riabhach) (Westropp 1919, 9; Westropp 1917-19, 179; Westropp 1918, 111). The ringfort stands inside a large field system (LI048-034001-) on the W facing slope of Slievereagh, an outlying peak of the Ballyhoura Mountains, and is known locally as the 'mote of Parkeenard'. It lies on poorly drained land 70m S of a small stream running through a ravine known as Glounacroghera or 'Hangman's Glen'. This group of mouments are located on steep W facing slope of rising ground with commanding views over east Limerick. The ringfort was described by Westropp as following; 'The next earthwork (I) farther to the north is called "the mote of Parkeenard"; the outer ring is 9 feet [2.75m] thick, the fosse 10 feet [3m] wide, the garth 42 feet [12.8m] across; the ring to the north-east is fairly perfect' (Westropp 1916-17, 466). Listed as Ringfort No. 11 by Ó Ríordáin (1940, 85) who excavated the monuments on this hillside between 1934-5. This site was not excavated and was described by Ó Ríordáin as 'the largest and best preserved of all the Cush earthworks. It had two ramparts with the suggestion of a third (inner)' (1940, 133). In 1998 the field containing the monument was purchased by the state along with an access route from the public road to the NW where a public parking area was constructed under licence no. 98E0392. Outline of circular-shaped ringfort clearly visible on Digital Globe aerial photograph and on aerial photographs taken in 1971 (CUCAP BGK051). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 28 May 2018 This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 34/1934).

• LI048-034007 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  In N corner of field in rough pasture, in N quadrant of an archaeological complex (LI048-034006/042-) located on the 'Supposed Site of Temaír Erann', which was the ancient cemetery of the Ernai tribe on Slievereagh (Sliabh Riabhach) (Westropp 1919, 9; Westropp 1917-19, 179; Westropp 1918, 111). Poorly preserved ringfort stands inside a large field system (LI048-034001-), with earthwork (LI048-034036-) immediately to SE and ringfort (LI048-034006-, Nat. Mon. No. 663) 20m to the E. Listed as Ringfort No. 10 in the ‘Northern Group’ of forts excavated by Ó Ríordáin (1940, 128-132) between 1934-5, who described it as follows; ‘in the north-west corner of the northern field and portion of its defences were cut off by the modern field-fence on the west. The main defences of Ring-Fort 10 were the inner and middle banks and fosses. The inner bank had completely disappeared but the inner fosse could be found by excavation and on its inner side were found in one section (on the south-east) the remains of an external stone facing of the inner bank. The outer fosse was very slight and was, we have suggested, a later addition contemporary with the construction of the arc of Ring 9 [LI048-034036-]. Excavations of the ringfort (diam. c. 20m) revealed a souterrain (LI048-034034-) and house sites. The house sites were described by Ó Ríordáin (ibid. 131) as; ‘revealed, at a depth of 8 inches [0.2m] under the surface, a series of wall-grooves (charcoal- and humus-filled) which, to some extent, gave outlines of rectangular houses. Another groove, in outline a long arc of a circle, was situated on the eastern side of the end of a souterrain, for which it may have contained a protecting structure. The postholes A-G may represent some structure of similar purpose. There was indication that at least one of the houses represented by these bands of humified soil was in occupation after the souterrain had been deserted and had silted up, as one of the dark bands crossed the silted-over end of the souterrain.’ Outline of partially levelled ringfort (diam. c. 27m) transected at W by post-1700 field boundaries is visible on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13 and on Google Earth orthoimages. See attached plans from Ó Ríordáin and Google Earth orthoimages. Compiled by: Fiona Rooney Date of upload: 26 August 2021

• LI048-034008 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  In reclaimed pasture, in centre of an archaeological complex (LI048-034006/042-) located on the 'Supposed Site of Temaír Erann', which was the ancient cemetery of the Ernai tribe on Slievereagh (Sliabh Riabhach) (Westropp 1919, 9; Westropp 1917-19, 179; Westropp 1918, 111). Bivallate ringfort stands inside a large field system (LI048-034001-), ringfort (LI048-034037-) lies 30m to N and three burial mounds (LI048-034010/012-) lie to the SW. Listed as Ringfort No. 7 in the ‘Northern Group’ of forts excavated by Ó Ríordáin (1940, 128-132) between 1934-5. Monument described by Ó Ríordáin (ibid.) as follows; ‘This fort with an overall diameter of about 140 feet [42.6m] was originally double ramparted, but the inner bank had been used on the southern side as portion of the field fence and on the northern side had disappeared, though the slope of the fosse showed. The entrance was on the western side of the fort. The inner fosse of this fort was much better marked than the outer one and excavation showed that the latter was better on the southern than on the northern side, there being, indeed, only the suggestion of a fosse on the north.’ Excavations of the ringfort interior were described as following; ‘On the northern side of the fort was a line of stones, rather indefinitely suggesting the remains of a wall and on the western side of the fort we found that the inner bank had a low wall as facing on its inner side. This wall was less than 2 feet [0.6m] in height. Beside it we found a considerable amount of iron slag.’ Bivallate ringfort clearly visible as a circular shaped area (diam. c. 24m) enclosed by two banks with intervening fosse intersected at S by post-1700 field boundary running E-W on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13 and on Google Earth orthoimages. See attached plans and photograph of wall from Ó Ríordáin and Google Earth orthoimages. Compiled by: Fiona Rooney Date of upload: 26 August 2021

• LI048-034009 Quarry
  Description

  In reclaimed pasture, immediately W of bowl-barrow (LI048-034010-), ringfort (LI048-034008-) lies 27m to NE and two bowl-barrows (LI048-034011/012-) 20m to S. Excavation of the bowl-barrows (LI048-034010/12-) by Ó Ríordáin (1940, 133-140) between 1934-5, recorded the following; ‘West of T [umulus] I [LI048-034010-] is marked on the Ordnance Map a hollow which we investigated with a negative result. It may have been dug to provide material for the building of some of the tumuli where that available from the fosse was not sufficient for the purpose’ (Ó Ríordáin 1940, 133). Slight shallow depression to W of bowl-barrow (LI048-034010-) visible on Google Earth orthoimages. See attached plan from Ó Ríordáin and Google Earth orthoimages. Compiled by: Fiona Rooney Date of upload: 30 August 2021

• LI048-034010 Barrow - bowl-barrow
  Description

  In rough pasture, in centre of an archaeological complex (LI048-034006/042-) located on the 'Supposed Site of Temaír Erann', which was the ancient cemetery of the Ernai tribe on Slievereagh (Sliabh Riabhach) (Westropp 1919, 9; Westropp 1917-19, 179; Westropp 1918, 111). One of three burial mounds (LI048-034010/012-), within a large field system (LI048-034001-), ringfort (LI048-034008-) lies 20m to NE. The most northerly of three bowl-barrows (LI048-034010/012-), within a large field system (LI048-034001-), ringfort (LI048-034008-) lies 20m to NE. Described by Westropp (1916-17, 465) as one of three tumuli consisting of; ‘a levelled mound (c), only a few feet high, 12 feet [3.6m] across, with a rock of conglomerate about 4 feet [1.2m] long on its base.’ Listed as Tumulus I by Ó Ríordáin (1940, 133-137) the burial mound was partially excavated in 1924 by T. Shea and the remains of an urn with cremated bone (LI048-034038-) uncovered and reinterred. Excavations of the mound (H. 0.9m; diam. 11m) undertaken by Ó Ríordáin between 1934-5, revealed a cist (LI048-034039-) and the barrow was described as following; ‘This mound was low and insignificant in comparison with T [umulus] II [LI048-034012-] and T [umulus] III [LI048-034011-]. Its maximum height over ground-level was less than 3 feet [0.9m], and its greatest diameter about 36 feet [11m]. No signs of a surrounding fosse showed on the surface but there were some upright stones at the edge of the tumulus, others of which were revealed on excavation making a total of six found in position, which represented the remains of the kerb of the tumulus’ (ibid. 133). Excavations revealed, ‘that the greater portion of it was covered by a paving of small stones packed rather closely together. This paving was at varying depths of 18 inches [0.45m] or less under the surface. On and among the stones of this paving we found scattered fragments of small deposits of cremated bones’ (ibid. 135). A possible fosse was also recorded inside the edge of the mound and ‘it did not make a complete circle, there being a gap of about one-fifth of its circumference on the northern side’ (ibid. 136). See attached plans and photos from Ó Ríordáin and Google Earth orthoimages. Compiled by: Fiona Rooney Date of upload: 27 August 2021

And 39 more.

Architectural heritage

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands on this parcel.

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).

Ground and risks

Radon

At the centre of this parcel, about 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

The Geological Survey did not answer.

Terrain model

The Geological Survey did not answer.

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.

Download this parcel as DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its neighbours and buildings, for a drawing program. GeoJSON, in WGS 84, suits a map, and KML opens in Google Earth.

Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. 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.