Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

In a flat river valley with a stream running NW-SE at the base of the ridge c. 80m to the S. At the base of a SE-facing slope, in generally undulating wet, rushy terrain. Views are limited except to the ENE-S which are very good. A moated site (KK005-103----) is located 40m to the W. Excavated in 1955 when it had been revealed as a spread of burnt material during ploughing. Described by Prendergast (1977, 264-7) as a low horse-shoe shaped mound (dims. 10-11m; H 0.75m), delimited on the straight edge by a stream, now dried up. Now visible as a slight rise. Excavation revealed a rectangular wooden trough (L 1.4m; Wth 1.5m) in the W quadrant which had been constructed in a pit dug into the marl (ibid.). The base of the trough was formed of five oblong planks (av.L 1.35m; Wth 0.2-0.35m; T 0.03-0.05m), two oak and three alder (ibid.). The planks were trimmed flat and fitted closely together between the vertical sides of the trough (ibid.). Only the lower portions of two side planks, both alder, survived in part (max. Wth 0.065m; H 0.06m) (ibid.). The trough rested on branches of willow and alder (ibid.). The excavator noted that traces of moss associated with the wood may indicate caulking (ibid.). The mound was composed of burnt stone of ‘flaggy quartose sandstone’ and ash (ibid.). Samples of charcoal indicated that alder, ash, hazel, willow, poplar and holly had been used as fuel (ibid.). (Prendergast 1977, 264-7)

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 9 May 2018

References

Prendergast, E. 1977 A fulacht fiadh at Ballyhimmin near Castlecomer. Old Kilkenny Review. 1 (4), 264-7.