Derrynablaha Derreeny (321) rock art

Summary: The Derreeny (321) boulder in the Derrynablaha area contains rock art which includes 31 cupmarks and several cup-and-ring motifs.

  • Site type: Rock engraving
  • Number of motifs: 35
  • Motif/s: Cupmarks, Cup-and-Ring
  • Quality: 2.5/5
  • Condition of site: Good
  • Year first recorded: 1973
  • Ann O’Sullivan and John Sheehan, The Iveragh Peninsula: An Archaeological Survey of South Kerry (1996). Number 321. 
  • Finola Finlay, The rock art of Cork and Kerry. Unpublished MA thesis (1973).

This large area of rock outcrop (measuring 5.1m x 3.4m) is one of many rock art sites in the Derrynablaha area. It overlooks the Kealduff River valley and Lough Brin to the north-east.

IMG 7510 LR Derrynablaha Derreeny (321) rock art

The large, flat boulder has about 31 cupmarks: “Shallow cupmarks, a few of which feature radial grooves, dominate the carvings, and the presence of extensive pitting may partly be the result of weathering. Five individual cupmarks form a circular arrangement around a central one.” (Finlay, 1973).

IMG 7506 LR Derrynablaha Derreeny (321) rock art
IMG 7507 LR Derrynablaha Derreeny (321) rock art

There are four cup-and-ring motifs, two with incomplete rings, with a small cup-and-circle being the only motif present on the irregular east side.

IMG 7519 LR Derrynablaha Derreeny (321) rock art

Getting to the Derreeny (321) boulder

The boulder is only about 50m ftom the road in an upland heath pasture on the steep portion of a north-east-facing slope at 51.92972, -9.79347.

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