Ireland. ‘Ritual avenue’ discovered near Tralee

An archaeological survey has shown that the people of Tralee were fascinated by the "pale moon rising" almost 2,000 years before the Victorian ditty that has come to symbolise their world-famous festival.

A Bronze Age "ritual avenue" criss-crossing the new N22 Tralee by-pass, around Ballingowan is the first of its kind in this island, and is most likely aligned to the moon and sun, the excavators of the site, Rubicon Heritage say.

Reconstruction of Ballingowan, Tralee

"Sites are defined by post pits, certainly. But apart from areas in Cambridge- shire and North Yorkshire, and to a lesser extent Scotland, an avenue such as this has never been found," Colm Moloney, archaeologist said.

They have done geophysical and other testing on the site and have concluded it is a ritual avenue for processions for some sacred event.

In 2,000 BC, the moon would have shone directly over the centre of the avenue on Nov 1, a sacred month. Spring and summer solstice were also the parallel alignments of pits.

The discovery suggests a prehistoric sacred landscape may survive to the east of Tralee. Kerry County Council have part funded further investigation .
Irish Examiner