Reenagross Traditional Geocache
Cuilcagh: As the owner has not responded to my previous log requesting that they check this cache I am archiving it.
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Cuilcagh - Volunteer Ireland Reviewer
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The cache is located in Reenagross Park in beautiful Kenmare. The park is a small peninsula sheltered by mature oak woodland just south of Kenmare town centre. Popular with the locals for a gentle stroll with family and dogs, it can be accessed either from the pier road entrance or from a right of way through the Kenmare golf club. Ideal with a young family.
Reenagross Park
Reenagross Park comprises an area of approximately 9 hectares of woodland and marsh. It is a valuable asset to the heritage town of Kenmare, having over 3.2 km of pathways through a semi-natural wooded and coastal landscape situated only 300 meters south of the town centre.
The park contains excellent examples of semi-natural habitats including broadleaved woodland, salt marsh, rocky shore and estuarine mudflats which all host a good representation of our native flora and fauna.
The site forms a peninsula of land surrounded by Kenmare Estuary to the East, West and South. The estuary in this area is shallow, with extensive mud-flats revealed when the tide retreats. The Park Hotel and the Kenmare Golf Course border the northern part of the site. Access to the Park is gained via one of four entrances:
· Sound Road: Pedestrian entrance to western end of site via well maintained path from the main N71, opposite the turn off for Kenmare Pier.
· Golf Course: A pedestrian entrance to north-eastern end of the site via the Golf Course, adjacent to the 16th Hole.
· Mahony’s Height: An unmarked pedestrian entrance to north-eastern end of site from the Golf Course car park.
· Park Hotel: A private pedestrian entrance for guests of the Park Hotel.
The woodland occurs on undulating topography up to 20 metres above sea level at the highest points. The underlying geology of Reenagross Peninsula is Old Red Sandstone, laid down approximately 400 million years before present, during the Devonian period
The low-lying and coastal areas of the site comprise marshy ground which is occasionally flooded by spring tides. Many of the plants that occur in these areas are specialised species capable of tolerating the brackish (high salt) and more waterlogged conditions.
The more exposed southern shoreline has a rocky character, with an abundance of seaweeds and associated marine fauna, while the intertidal areas to the East and West of the site comprise inter-tidal mud flats that are home to a host of marine invertebrates. These areas in particular provide an important food source to coastal birds.
History of Reenagross Park
The name Reenagross is derived from the Irish ‘Reen na gCross’ which translates as "The Headland of The Crosses" or "The Muddy Point”. Reenagross was developed as a private park by the second earl of Shelburne (later first the marquesss of Lansdowne) and is likely to have been planted with hardwoods some time towards the end of the eighteenth century when large scale plantations were being developed in the vicinity of Kenmare (Lyne 2001). Landsdowne (1937) mentions that at this time Oak and Scots Pine (of Scottish origin) were the species predominantly planted in the area, both of which are still well represented at Reenagross. On a map of ‘Nedeen’ prepared by John Powell for Sir William Petty in 1764, Reenagross is shown as an un-wooded area of land comprising what appears to be a mix of pasture (where the woodland occurs today) and marshy ground on the lower lying parts (Smith 2009) (see Figure 2). Due to the existence of an iron smelting industry in the locality set up by Petty, all native woodlands in the area are likely to have been exploited prior to the plantation undertaken by end of the 18th century. The general topography of Reenagross appears relatively unchanged since Powell’s map was drawn, with the elevated areas clearly illustrated.
The first edition Ordnance Survey map of the area (surveyed 1841-42) shows that the woodland at Reenagross had become established. By the time the second edition OS map was produced (surveyed 1895), the site appears much like it does today with a network of paths throughout a more extensive woodland area. The boat house and pier at the southern part of the site are also shown.
The presence of a man-made underground passage (possible souterrain) in the woods to the north of Reenagross and an elevated circular wooded enclosure on the northern side of the peninsula has been suggested by Hodd (1998) to indicate a possible medieval settlement in the area. However, this has not been confirmed and these features are more likely to originate from the estate period when the park was established (F. Coyne, pers. comm.).
The possible souterrain cannot really be verified as such without excavation. It may prove to be an ‘ice house’, used for storing ice which was collected in winter. These are common estate features, and were used extensively until the end of the 19th century. (F. Coyne, pers. comm.).
The circular enclosure is likely to represent a ‘tree ring’ which is a known feature of the estate period, where trees were planted within an artificially constructed enclosure, usually a ditch and bank. The uniform age and spacing of the oak trees planted around the perimeter of the ring and the absence of any feature on Powell’s map suggests that this is the true origin of the feature. (F. Coyne, pers. comm.).
Around 1940, the park was leased to the Kenmare Development Association for a nominal rent of ten shillings. More recently, Kerry County Council holds the lease and assumed responsibility for the maintenance of the park. The Lansdowne estate has retained ownership of the site.
Figure 2: Part of the map of Nedeen (Kenmare) as prepared by Powell in 1764 for Sir William Petty, reproduced from Smith (2009). Note the Reenagross peninsula which is indicated as being unplanted at the time.
All information displayed above is extract from the very good survey prepared by:
Crushell, P. & Foss, P. (2010). Reenagross Park, Kenmare, Co. Kerry. Baseline Ecological Surveys and Biodiversity Conservation Plan. Report prepared for Kenmare Tidy Towns Committee.
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