Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

The proposed development would involve the construction of 34 houses and include the construction of roadways and footpaths, connection of foul and storm drainage to the existing public drainage system, provision of services, landscaping of open area space and paths and all ancillary site works. The proposed development area measures 24,824m2. The excavation of fourteen test-trenches throughout the proposed development area revealed the presence of a previously unidentified spread of burnt stone in the eastern end of the proposed land-take. The method statement submitted for the testing suggested that this general area, due to its low-lying and slightly waterlogged nature, had the potential to contain previously unrecorded fulachta fiadh. A spread of burnt stone was identified in Trench 9 and three additional trenches, Trenches 9b, 9c and 9d, were excavated to help define its extent, character and condition. Testing suggests that the feature measures c. 13m east–west by 12m and continues to the ditch, which forms the eastern boundary of the proposed development area, and which is also a townland and parish boundary. Limited hand investigation showed the stone spread to have a probable depth of c. 0.15m. Excavation of the remainder of the trenches failed to reveal either archaeological features or artefacts. The burnt spread was preserved in situ under a geotextile layer, which was gradually sealed by broken stone to a height of c. 1.3m. Monitoring of topsoil-stripping across the whole of the site failed to reveal archaeological features or artefacts (Bennett 2010, 79). The NGR given in Excavations 2007 plots the monument in the adjoining townland of Altaghaderry rather than Kildrum Upper as stated in the excavation report.

Compiled by Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload/revision : 18 November 2011