Field boundary, Ballynafullia, Co. Kerry

Co. Kerry |

Ritual/Ceremonial

Field boundary, Ballynafullia, Co. Kerry

On a south-west-facing slope above the valley of the Dromoghty River, a stone wall disappears into the bog and then comes back out again.

That simple fact is what makes this field boundary in Ballynafullia worth pausing over. For a stretch of roughly twenty metres, the wall runs entirely beneath the surface of the peat, swallowed by centuries of accumulation, before re-emerging to continue its line across the hillside. In total, the visible and buried sections account for well over sixty metres of structure, with a short branch extending to the south-east at the south-western end and several upright stones set at right angles to the main line.

The wall itself is curvilinear, meaning it follows a gentle curve rather than a straight or geometric line, which is characteristic of pre-medieval field systems in Ireland, where boundaries tended to follow the natural contours of the land rather than any imposed grid. The surviving sections stand only around half a metre high and are roughly seven-tenths of a metre thick, reduced by collapse and time. What the bog has preserved, however, is arguably more informative than what remains above ground. Peat growth is slow and cumulative, and when a wall disappears beneath it, the bog effectively seals the structure at the point it was last in use or last maintained. The fact that this boundary runs under the bog suggests it predates the formation of that peat layer, potentially placing its construction in an era when the hillside supported a very different landscape, one open enough to require, or at least to reward, the effort of dividing it with stone.

Rated 0 out of 5

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete F
Pete F
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Field boundary, Ballynafullia, Co. Kerry. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 100 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Advertisement