Ballywiheen Explained
Ballywiheen |
Native Name: | Bhaile Uí Bhaoithín[1] · Raingiléis |
Native Name Lang: | ga |
Established: | 6th century AD |
Diocese: | Ardfert and Aghadoe |
Status: | ruined |
Style: | Celtic |
Location: | Ballywiheen, Ballyferriter, County Kerry |
Coordinates: | 52.1588°N -10.407°W |
Map Type: | Ireland |
Public Access: | yes |
Remains: | church |
Embedded: | Embed: | yes | Designation2: | National Monument of Ireland | Designation2 Offname: | Ballywiheen Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Site; Cathair na gCat Cashel & Ogham Stone[2] | Designation2 Number: | 221.2425 |
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Ballywiheen is a medieval Christian site and National Monument located on the Dingle Peninsula, Ireland.[3] [4] [5] [6]
Location
Ballywiheen is located 800 m (half a mile) south of Ballyferriter, on the south side of Croaghmarhin mountain.
History
There was an early Christian settlement here, also called Raingiléis.[7] [8]
The Ogham stone was erected as a grave marker c. AD 500–550. In the 1880s it was broken open in search of gold.[9]
Excavations in 1998 turned up a stone lamp and flint scraper.[10]
Description
Ballywiheen is surrounded by an enclosure 68m (223feet) in diameter. In the eastern part are the remains of an early drystone oratory. To the west are two mounds — these mark the location of two leachtaí (stone altars).
There is also a cross slab (decorated with Maltese cross),[11] grave mounds (suggestive of a calluragh burial ground).
There is also a stone cross 123 cm (four feet) in height.[12]
Cathair na gCat
The name Cathair na gCat means "the cat's stone fort" (the "cat" referred to is possibly the "tree cat", i.e. the pine marten.) This is a stone fort (cashel) located immediately south of Ballywiheen Christian site. It contains two stone huts and a possible souterrain.
The Ogham stone (dated to the early 6th century AD)[13] reads TOGITTACC MAQI SAGARET[TOS], "of Toicthech son of Sáraid."[14] [15] [16]
Notes and References
- Web site: Bhaile Uí Bhaoithín/Ballywiheen. Logainm.ie.
- Web site: National Monuments in State Care: Ownership & Guardianship . 4 March 2009 . National Monuments Service . Ireland . 12 May 2021 .
- Book: Ireland, Royal Society of Antiquaries of. Journal. Ballywiheen.. 21 April 1898. Internet Archive.
- Web site: The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. 21 April 2018. The Society. Google Books.
- Web site: Studies in Irish Epigraphy: The Ogham inscriptions of the counties of Kerry (not included in part I), Limerick, Cavan, and King's. Robert Alexander Stewart. Macalister. 21 April 2018. D. Nutt. Google Books.
- Book: King, Jeremiah. County Kerry past and present: a handbook to the local and family history of the county. 21 April 1986. Mercier Press. 9780853427988. Google Books.
- Web site: An Raingiléis - Monastic site in Baile Bhoithín - Go Kerry. GoKerry.ie. www.gokerry.ie.
- 25508468. Ballywiheen Church, Ballyneanig, Co. Kerry. R. A. S.. Macalister. 21 April 1898. The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. 8. 1. 15–20.
- Web site: Ogham in 3D - Ballywiheen / 172. Ballywiheen. ogham.celt.dias.ie.
- Web site: 3443 « Excavations. 22 April 2018. 12 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191212130159/https://excavations.ie/report/1998/Kerry/0003443/. dead.
- Web site: Ballyviheen. www.corcadhuibhne3d.ie. 21 April 2018. 26 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191226162339/http://www.corcadhuibhne3d.ie/ballyviheen.php. dead.
- Web site: Ballywiheen, County Kerry. www.earlychristianireland.net.
- Web site: CISP - Site: Ballywiheen. www.ucl.ac.uk.
- Book: Macalister, Robert Alexander Stewart. Corpus inscriptionum insularum celticarum. 21 April 2018. Four Courts Press. 9781851822423. Google Books.
- Web site: Studies in Irish Epigraphy: Ogham inscriptions of the barony of Corkaguiney, and the counties of Mayo, Wicklow, and Kildare. Robert Alexander Stewart. Macalister. 21 April 1897. D. Nutt. Google Books.
- Web site: Ogham in 3D - Ballywiheen / 172. Ballywiheen. ogham.celt.dias.ie.