Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

This fulacht fia was excavated in 2004 in advance of the construction of the N8 Mitchelstown relief road. It consisted of a low mound (15.4m x 14m; H c. 0.2m) of heat-shattered stones and charcoal-enriched soil. Beneath the E side of the mound was a trough (2.75m x 2m; D 0.8m). Six stake-holes were found along the inner edge of the trough and a further four stake-holes were spread along its W perimeter. A rectangular pit (1.3m x 1.1m; D 0.3m) containing five stake-holes was found c. 1.9m SW of the trough. Another rectangular pit (2.6m x 1.1m; D 0.35m) which truncated a post-hole was found 5.5m W of the trough. A further three small pits, three post-holes and five stake-holes were found in an arc between and to the N of this pit and the trough. The NE edge of the mound was truncated by a large cut (5.5m x 3m; min. D 1.4m) which extended beyond the limit of the excavation. The precise nature of this feature is not known and it is possibly associated with modern drainage works. The fulacht fia was radiocarbon-dated to the Early Bronze Age (cal. BC 2023-1773 (UB-67448)). A second fulacht fia (CO019-168----) which lay 5m to the SE was also excavated. (Sutton 2006c, 1-48; 2007d, 69)

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009).

Date of upload: 22 December 2009