3,000 YEAR STORY IN 300 METERS

On Radio Kerry this Saturday morning (October 31) from 9 to11 Frank Lewis visits seven archaeological sites within 300 meters of Nora Anne’s holiday home at Kilmalkedar – with Smerwick Harbour and the three sisters headlands out in front and .Brandon Mountain behind. Archaeologist Michael O Coileain, stonemason Breandan O Muircheartaigh .and Basket guide Tomas O Luing tell stories of three or more thousand years…

Kilmalkedar the preeminent church on the Dingle Peninsula
A holy well and cross slab that were important before Christianity, in early Christian times, in dark Cromwellian days and later
A large flat rock where eight basins were carved and worn out by whole families grinding out their grain
The Gallerus-style St Brendan’s Oratory a quiet place of prayer
The five circular buildings in Cathair Deargain stonefort might have housed an extended family of up to 40
The 14th century home of the Chancellor of the Diocese of Ardfert has a perfectly preserved piazza-styled oven
The medieval St Brendan’s House where the monks from the nearby church lived
Finishing back at Kilmalkedar- the alphabet stone, ogham/contract stone, sun dial and huge stone cross

All within 300 meters. Imagine what you could see in five kilometers?

The cosan na Naomh/Saints’ Path that runs from Ventry to the top of mount Brandon. The route is marked by the an image of an medieval pilgrim.
Families knelt around this rock each member using a round stone to grind grain in these stone basins. This bullaun stone may date as far back as the 5th century
The Kilmalkedar church site also includes an early Christian-period sundial, and from the medieval period a huge carved cross, an ogham/contract stone and an alphabet stone
The 12th century Kilmalkedar was the most important church in the Dingle Peninsula .The western entrance archway and this internal arch are very decoratively carved.
The 8th or 9th century, dry-stoned, corballed St Brendan’s Oratory/Teampaillin Breanainn close-by Kilmalkedar. A quiet place of prayer. It is in the same style as nearby Gallarus Oratory but is 300 years older.
St Brendan’s cross slab and holy well with Kilmalkedar church in the background. Holy wells pre-dates Christianity.
The 300 meter drystone wall along the avenue to St Brendan’s Oratory/Teampaillin Breanainn.
St Brendan’s house – also called the priests’ house – is medieval. The religious attached to the nearby Kilmalkedar probably lived here.
The 14th century home of the Chancellor/Diocesan Secretary of the Diocese of Ardfert includes an elaborate bread oven
40 or 50 members of an extended family may have lived in this 8th or 9th century Caherdorgan Stone fort’s five cells surrounded by a strong circular embankment. The largest dry stone walled clochans has an entrance to a souterrain/underground passage.