25/08/2026
Community Historian, Brendan Matthews,. “What lies beneath”. Photo by Brendan Matthews, captured back in the mid 1990`s depicts an interior view of a section of the underground stone passage, called a Souterrain, which is located in the townland of Herberststown. This magnificentl- dry-stone-built underground structure is some 37 metres (120) feet) in length and it dates to the 9th or early 10th century. It would have been constructed for the purpose of storing food, such as milk & dairy produce, meat and grain. The Souterrains were also used to retreat to in times of danger or when an extended family or kin were under attack. They are designed in such a way so that they can only be entered by one person at a time, due to the narrow width of the passages within and there are other impediments to hinder and obstruct any `would-be-intruder`. Often, there are hidden and false passages, drop-holes to lower passages and hidden galleries contained within the Souterrain and, like this one here at Herbertstown, the passages very often terminate in a beautifull beehive-shaped chamber with a magnificent, stone-corbelled, roof. Quite often, Souterrains are found in association with Ring-forts and also at Early Christian Sites and Monasteries. In the past, Souterrains have also been uncovered at Lisdornan, Gormanstown, Sarsfieldstown, Knocknagin and Irishtown and there are several suspected Souterrains which are believed to be lying beneath the ground in other parts of the parish and surrounds. This particular Souterrain at Herbertstown was first discovered in the early 1950`s, although it has never been archaeologically excavated, it is a protected site and recorded in the National Sites & Monuments Register. It is also constructed in a `zigzag`- shaped fashion and its overall length extends to around 37 metres long, although it is possible that there may be other passages and chambers existing beneath the upper passages. Researched, written & compiled by Community Historian, Brendan Matthews.
