Caves in Ireland

Crag Cave in County Kerry

There is a rich history in the underground of the Emerald Island, apparently. On this site you can find a list and descriptions of caves in Ireland, including Dunmore Cave in Kilkenney, where there was a Viking raid in the 10th century. There was no limit to where the Vikings would go, apparently, and it's said that 1000 people were slain there. There are human remains that suggest that's true.

But caves were also burial sites in the ancient world and even places where people lived. In some hedge schools met when the weather wasn't good for meeting at the hedges.

From the IT Sligo site:
Approximately 700 caves are dotted around limestone regions of Ireland and of these, 100 have produced archaeological material. Most of the discoveries have been made by antiquarians in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and by cavers in more recent decades. It is only in recent years that the archaeological community is beginning to realise the significance and rich potential of caves as multi-period sites that have been used over the past 10,000 years. 


It sounds like more archeological work is being done, which is great news for people like me who are so very interested in the ancient Irish culture.