72 



XVII. — An Account of a Sotjterrain discovered at Curragb:ely,near 

 Kilcrea, Co. Cork. By E. B. Brash, M. B. I. A. [Abstract.] 



[Read June 24, 1867.1 



On Saturday, May 1 8, as Mr. Daniel Kane, farmer, residing on the 

 townland of Curraghely, parish of Aglish, and county of Cork, was 

 earthing potatoes in a field adjoining his house, his spade struck a flag- 

 stone, which, emitting a hollow sound, roused his curiosity. Having 

 cleared the ground round it, he found it to be a flat slab, of about three 

 feet, by two feet six inches ; and, having raised it, he discovered a small 

 well hole, of about five feet in depth, but partially filled with earth and 

 debris; on clearing out this, he discovered a human skull, in anad> 

 vanced stage of decomposition. In the side of this pit was found an 

 irregular circular passage, of about two feet in diameter, and three feet 

 in length, leading into a series of caves, excavated out of the Old Eed 

 Sandstone rock, of which this ridge of hills is composed. These were 

 examined by the farmer and his men, with the expectation of finding 

 treasure ; but, from all the inquiries I have made, I am of opinion that 

 no ornaments or implements of any metallic or other substance were 

 found. 



A few days after the opening of these caves the fact was communi- 

 cated to Mr. Eobert Day, of Cork, an indefatigable collector of Irish 

 antiquities, "who visited the spot, and made a careful examination. A 

 few days subsequently, the same gentleman, accompanied by Dr. 

 Caulfield, P. S. A., and Mr. Thomas Wright, F. G. S., paid them 

 another visit, the result of which was published in the " Cork Con- 

 stitution." Nothing, however, was found, excepting some portions 

 of bone, horse teeth, and charcoal. On the first of June I visited the caves, 

 which I found situated in an open field, on the summit of a hill, about 

 two miles north-west of the Kilcrea station of the Cork and Macroom 

 Eailway. I fortunately met the occupier of the land on the spot, who 

 kindly assisted me in my examinations, and gave me every information 

 respecting their discovery ; having also with me one of my office assis- 

 tants, and lights, I was enabled, though not without some difficulty, to 

 get a plan and measurements of the excavations, which I now submit 

 for the inspection of the Academy. By an examination of the plan it 

 will be seen that the whole series of chambers are quite irregular and 

 without order, no two being of the same form or dimensions. The 

 well hole at the mouth of the entrance on my visit was broken down, 

 and without shape, from the number of persons who had visited it. 

 The entrance faces nearly east, and is a circular hole of twenty inches 

 diameter, and three feet in length, through which you force yourself 

 into the chamber marked No. 1, which is in length fifteen feet, the 

 width four feet seven inches, and height four feet, as shown by a cross 

 section, taken on the line g, h, which shoAvs the form of the cave, with 

 its irregularly arched ceiling. This chamber, as well as the other cham- 



