Killavullen Caves facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Killavullen Caves |
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One of the cave entrances, overhanging the River Blackwater
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| Location | Killavullen, County Cork |
| Entrances | 3+ |
The Killavullen Caves are a group of limestone caves located near the village of Killavullen in County Cork, Ireland. You can find them on the south bank of the River Blackwater, right by Killavullen Bridge. These caves are famous for the many ancient discoveries made inside them.
History of the Caves
Local people have known about the Killavullen Caves for hundreds of years. Throughout history, some of these caves were even used as homes!
In the early 1800s, an Irish expert named Thomas Crofton Croker visited the area. He wrote about how some caves were still lived in by villagers. He described one cave that was home to the village blacksmith, where the light from his forge lit up the road.
Amazing Discoveries Inside
The Killavullen Caves are very special because of the many archaeological and palaeontological finds.
- Archaeology is the study of human history and prehistory through digging up old things.
- Palaeontology is the study of ancient life, like fossils of animals and plants.
In 1934, scientists dug in one of the caves. They found bones from amazing animals that lived long ago, like the Irish elk, brown bear, wolf, and reindeer. Later, they even found a human skull, which tells us more about the people who lived there in the past.
Why the Caves are Closed
The Killavullen Caves were closed to the public in the early 1990s. Steel doors were put in place to stop people from going inside. The main reason for closing them was for safety. This was to protect visitors from any possible dangers inside the caves.
