Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

On a gentle E-facing slope, in flat pasture. Excavated in 2007 in advance of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road improvement scheme (Licence no. E3757). An area of fire-cracked stones and blackened sandy silt (16m x 15m x 0.4m) beneath which lay a sub-rectangular trough, with stake-holes in each corner, dated to 2133-1940 cal BC (UBA-14040). A further 25 stake-holes were recorded along the N side but it is unclear if these were associated. A second trough was excavated c. 8m to the W and this was dated to 1679-1523 cal BC (UBA-14042). A large pit/waterhole (diam. 4m; D 2m) was identified between the two troughs. It was dated to cal AD 236-380 (UBA-14041). A horseshoe-shaped arc of post and stake-holes enclosed an area (6m x 3.5m) to the NE of the waterhole. The purpose of this area is unclear. A number of undated pits, post-holes and stake-hole clusters were also identified across the excavated area. (Wiersbicki 2010, 251, no. 951; Wiersbicki and Coughlan 2012)

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 6 January 2014

References

Wierzbicki, P. 2010 AR124, Kellymount. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2007: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 251, no. 951. Dublin. Wordwell.

Wierzbicki, P. and Coughlan, T. 2012 N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford Scheme: Phase 4 - Knocktopher to Powerstown. Ministerial Direction: A032. Site name: AR124, Kellymount 2. Registration No. E3757. Final report. Unpublished report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.