Structure of Kerry island might have been due to medieval tsunami

THE POSSIBILITY that the south Kerry coast has over the centuries been struck by long tsunami waves of over 50ft in events that have lived on in folk memory has been raised by an archaeologist.

Beginish and Church Islands viewed from Valentia Island.
Photo: Reencaheragh Cottage

Cross-checking folk tales with archaeological and geological evidence, Alan R Hayden, director of more than 200 medieval excavations since 1987 in Ireland, said the grouping of Valentia, Beginish and Church islands may bear the scars of earthquakes and tsunami-type waves in medieval times.

His research is reported in the current edition of the Journal of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society.

See full story here: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0724/1224320710205.html