Pegasus Caving Club
aka Pegasus Club Nottingham
1st January Possible abandoned souterrain construction, Teergonean, Doolin
PC
13:00. Sunset 16:31: Cloud 80%: Wind NW, F2: Visibility 25Nm: Temp 5°C: Gauge 0mm: Ground damp. The Plan: examine possible souterrain, south end at ITM 506953 x 698544. First trip of the year. Normal ground cover reduced by winter, and grazing cattle - permitting a clearer view of the curious 18 metre long, 1.25 metre wide channel in the limestone bedrock - oriented along 020°/200° mag. The channel is 20 metres from a 15-18 metre diameter cashel, circa 400-1200AD. Briars etc. have colonized some of the channel, mostly the sheltered, western side. The channel continues southwest, narrowing over the next 20 metres. This area of interest has an average width of 1.2m, similar to other souterrains in the wider Burren.
An adjacent, unregistered souterrain, recorded by Tim Robinson, (Burren Map, 1977), has been previously examined, though not recently entered, owing to dense nettles and briars. A too small opening to this was found the north side of the townland wall, within an indistinct area, possibly the remains of a hut. It is possible to get a limited view of the passage, which is some 1.4m wide, inbetween the very large lintels. During construction of the townland wall, early 1800s?, an elongated boulder, 2 metres long, (near 2 tonnes), was dressed and used to span the souterrain below, upon which the substantial wall was then built. The southern end of this unregistered souterrain passage approaches the base of the cashel rampart, and may have provided access, or emergency egress for the cashel inhabitants, via a mural passage built within the 2/3 metre thick rampart wall, until appropriately addressed and surveyed this is conjecture.
This curious channel has the appearance of a souterrain project begun, by the chieftain of the cashel, but then abandoned, after most of the clints were removed - many would have been of suitable lengths for use as lintels to roof the passage. But, why, if indeed it were, would it be abandoned? If actually a work in progress, and if abandoned, the reason is all but impossible to acquire, or guess; was it hostilities, pestilence, forced migration, family confrontation or division, lack of funds, death of the original commissioner, who would likely have been the Chieftain of the adjacent Cashel. Perhaps this Chieftains overlord, denied him permission for its construction, after the fact? A considerable section of this channel is of average souterrain passage width, commensurate with previous recorded passage widths and lintel lengths. The vertical walls, are weathered, therefore chisel marks or similar evidence may be long eroded with the annual rainfall these past thousand years, or so. More work required.
Pat Cronin
Satelite view of site
Principle area of interest
View south, wider area of channel
2nd January Poulbruíon
PC
13:30: Cloud 40%: Wind NW, F2: Visibility 30Nm: Rain Gauge 0mm: Temp: 5°C: Ground damp: The Plan: strip dramway. PMcG still in Dublin, FR unavailable. Still no trailer. Enroute bumped into MQ, spent a very pleasant 30 minutes catching up, informing him of mothballing the dig due to solo efforts, he eagerly offered to help, adding, not a bother restarting it, or digging any another site anytime. Parked up, bumped into LS, walking Gleninagh to Roadford, kindly offering assistance to carry the material down; explained needed the trailer. Had another search around, picked up another couple of bits from among the long grass. Began disassembling the dramway, corroded bolts a frustration - applied ‘Popeye’s’ mini-grinder. Worst task – removing the rails from binding grass, a real ball ache. Removed both trestles. Three lengths of ‘rail’, or Considines ladders’ to come down, a fertilizer bag of metal bits, four kibbles, one role barb wire, P.V.C. panel strips, a cushion, a couple of short bits of rail. One ladder already brought down to the second terrace, the bag of rope also recovered. Hope for a trailer for tomorrow, to take advantage of LS offer of help around 11/12:00.
Pat Cronin
3rd January Poulbruíon
CC, LS, PC
09:30: Cloud 60%: Wind NW, F2: Visibility 35Nm: Rain Gauge 0mm: Temp: 2°C: Ground frozen: The Plan, convey kit to Trailer. Managed locate and recover a trailer. Sent message of success to WhatsApp digging group. Headed to the dig. Began to work away, dragging the heavier bits down to the Drover’s Road; CC and LC arrived, remaining materials swiftly conducted to, and loaded on the trailer. Can’t believe had previously carried these ladders up to the dig, the recent TURPS operation, appearing to have a more significant effect upon the body than appreciated. LS followed PC back to Carnaun, to unload the assorted kit. Bumped into Ita, (Walsh), and Suzanne Linnane + three others, KW now living in Doolin.
Prior to departing, looked hard at the site: Poulfantaiseach, Pollapooka, Halliday’s Hole, and the resurgence volume issuing off Arkeen – together suggest a system does exist beneath. Intend return and, like Considine’s, remove the entire debris fill behind the northern shoring, in doing so, like Considine’s, gradually remove the northern shoring. Discontinue sinking a shaft, that requires shoring two unstable sides. As depth develops, below present -5m, if required, prepare a series of shored steps down the developing slope.
Retain and brace the southern shoring, presently retaining a damp silt/sand/gravel deposit, containing assorted sized boulders, down, and through which, flows much of the surface runoff originating from the wider depression and upper slopes, after heavy rain. Achieving -5 metres, grade the floor, if practicable, to a stable angle, say 4o°, down to the north, between the two solid tapering rift walls. These solid walls likely required little or no shoring. Issues of removal will increase a metre below the present platform level.
Below, and partly above, the stream entry point, loosely compacted northern boulders have little silt or mud inbetween, at this depth, (-5m), drain points for ponding water were easy to create, draining swiftly. In short, the lower area of the northern end is a tapering rift, full of loose boulders, with little or, no mud/silt present. Estimate the volume of material to removal to achieve -5m to be, worst case, between 4 and 6 cubic metres.
Pat Cronin
Awaiting your next log please. "Remember, if it's not written down it never happened"