Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

In 2002, three small areas were archaeologically excavated (Kavanagh 2003 Excavation Licence Nos. 02E1537, 02E1539, 02E1540) in advance of the construction of an embankment as part of the flood alleviation measures undertaken on the Morell River, to the N of Morell Bridge (Old), by Kildare County Council. In ‘Area 2’ (22.5m NNW-SSE; 17.5m ENE-WSW), excavated under Licence No 02E1539, a large, roughly oval trough was discovered (diams. 3.4m; 2.72m; D 1.25m) and contained large quantities of burnt and partially burnt limestone. Large quantities of twigs, branches and charred timber at the base of the trough were interpreted as the remains of a lining. Four stakes were found embedded into the N and W sides of the trough, two with well-worked points. Two oval pits (diams. 1.42m; 0.92m; D 0.18m and diams. 0.42m; 0.33m; D 0.4m) were found, at a slight distance from the trough, and contained burnt limestone also, while a further two pits (diam. 0.92; D 0.3m and diam. 1.22m; D 0.32m) produced small quantities of burnt stone.

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 18 January 2012

References

Kavanagh, J. 2003 Morell River Flood Alleviation Scheme, Co. Kildare: Results of an archaeological excavation. Licence Nos. 02E1537, 02E1539, 02E1540. Unpublished excavation report, National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.