BallyMcElligot Cave, Co.Kerry. A HUGE cave!! ***VIDEO***

burrencrawler

burrencrawler

New member
This is the day Robin Sheen persuades a large number of cavers to come and visit a cave he had himself visited a few weeks back. It seems it has not seen much traffic since the early 80's! Everyone was surprised how a cave that large, all walking, could be so unknown. This was done on the day of the monthly Clare Caving Club meeting. Thanks to Dave Kennedy for helping with the music, and thanks to all involved for help with the lighting and mostly for being in the video!  There is even a car in the streamway.....take a look :eek:

BallyMcElligot Cave, Co.Kerry, Ireland. A rarely visited fantastic cave.




 
mrodoc

mrodoc

Well-known member
I remember attending a lecture by John Gunn years ago and I have always wanted to visit the cave. I had plans to go there last year but it seemed a long drive from Clare. How long did it take? I presume it is in the Crag Cave area. Graham, I think, gave me the details last year.
 
graham

graham

New member
mrodoc said:
I remember attending a lecture by John Gunn years ago and I have always wanted to visit the cave. I had plans to go there last year but it seemed a long drive from Clare. How long did it take? I presume it is in the Crag Cave area. Graham, I think, gave me the details last year.
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If memory serves, Peter, it'd be between 90 mins & 2 hours from Dr Boycott's new pad, depending on how long you have to wait for the ferry.
 
mrodoc

mrodoc

Well-known member
I will make it my mission next March. Must dig out the stuff you sent me - or ask Quentin1
 
burrencrawler

burrencrawler

New member
Ask Robin I'd say. I would only be asking him how to get there as i dont remember a thing......there was lots of little windy tracks.....but yes, Crag area alright. From Boycott's new gaff I reckon 2:15 hours (excluding ferry).
 
A

Allan

Member
I remember surveying it with John Gunn in 1985.  There are more sections of the same system downstream beyond the sump, these are accessed from collapse dolines. The reference is Caves and Caving No 30, p2-4.
 
mrodoc

mrodoc

Well-known member
This is helps. The iconic image of the car body wedged across the passage stuck with me for years. Very Irish!
 
graham

graham

New member
rhychydwr1 said:
OK, I give in.  How did you get the car down there?  Did the dogs get out OK?
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I cannot speak for the dogs, but if you scroll back a few decades, the nearest entrance to the car was a large open doline with accessible cave passage at either side. Over time this was used for dumping various types of refuse, including knackered cars. This is the sort of thing that Guardians of the Countryside do, though you'll never find them doing things like this in England, well, not on Mendip, OK not anywhere in the Cheddar catchment ...
 
graham

graham

New member
burrencrawler said:
Yes, us Irish lot are able to dump stuff with style...... :idea:
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You missed the irony, sorry. There are at least two caves on Mendip that also have cars dumped in them.
 
graham

graham

New member
Who nicked my post, which should be time stamped about a minute before Les's?  :mad:

Yup, Doline 3 at GB was sort of blocked by cars also sourced from Mr Jeffries at Manor Farm. I do remember Paul H. being thoroughly castigated for that by OCL.
 
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