THE Iveragh Peninsula of the title is better known to most of us as the Ring of Kerry, that scenic jewel which fits so snugly among the handful of fingers stretching forth into the Atlantic on the south west coast of Ireland. But that it has more than just scenery to offer is amply demonstrated in this volume, which shows the Peninsula to have a cluster of gem stones glistening from the past, not just the famous monuments such as Staigue Fort on Skellig Michael but, literally, many hundreds more which you can discover for yourself with the aid of this book and a good map.
This is the third of an independent series of archaeological surveys covering areas along the western seaboard, preceded by County Donegal in 1983 and the Dingle Peninsula in 1986. It was the latter which would appear to have spawned the idea for carrying out this survey of the Iveragh Peninsula, a suggestion initiated by An Taisce and put forward by the South West Kerry Development Organisation to what was then AnCO, now FAS. With enthusiastic local support and funding, and both national and international grants, the scheme got going in 1986 under the direction of John Sheehan, who was succeeded four years later by Ann O'Sullivan. After ten years hard work, and with the assistance of a host of young archaeologists, surveyors, drafts persons and others, they have now produced this splendid volume, which just shows what brilliant and beneficial results can be achieved when an organisation like FAS teams up with local effort and high quality technical direction.
The aim of the book is to describe the various ancient monuments of the Peninsula, category by category, each prefaced by a succinct and very well informed introduction, and selectively illustrated by both drawings and photographs. Iveragh's greatest forte is rock art cup marks and other motifs carved into flat rock surfaces of which the Peninsula has the greatest collection in Ireland, and one of these (at Derrynablaha) is beautifully featured on the dust jacket cover. Early Christian remains cross inscribed stones, oratories, etc. are another highlight, but the monument types are many pre bog stone wall systems, megalithic tombs, copper mines, stone alignments, Ogham stones, souterrains, holy wells and even the occasional tower house castle, not to mention underwater walls in Cough Currane.
Because so few of these monuments in the Peninsula are found mentioned in historical sources, the stones have to be let speak for themselves which they do here thanks to the two authors, who have written an elegant and thoroughly researched text, accompanied by a good bibliography. For a book of almost 500 pages, there are scarcely any mistakes of even the most venial kind, my only real quibble being with the quality of just a few of the numerous colour photographs scattered throughout the volume. Otherwise, Cork University Press, and their typesetters and printers, are to be congratulated also on a fine production.
This book will undoubtedly prove useful to many sectors of the community, and not just those with an amateur or professional interest in archaeology. The destruction of the only tri-vallate ring fort in the Peninsula a decade ago, and the 1950s dynamiting of a rock art bearing boulder, are symptomatic of the creeping destruction of ancient monuments, by design, or in ignorance, and shows how useful this volume ought to be in the hands of planners and conservationists, as well as those educating the next generation. But, last but not least, it should prove immensely stimulating and rewarding to tourists who will want to get off the beaten track and go into the fields and up the hillsides to enjoy the archaeological richness of this popular peninsula. It has certainly whetted my appetite ... so get on your bicycles and go this summer to Iveragh which, incidentally, rhymes with Hurrah just the right kind of exclamation with which to greet the appearance of this book.