Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

Identified by Ken Wiggins as BGE 4/3/1 during archaeological monitoring (Licence 02E1649) along the Bord Gáis Éireann Barnakyle to Coonagh West gas pipeline (Wiggins 2003). Enclosure (LI013-185----) lies c. 26m to the SW. Excavated under licence no. 02E1735 by Wiggins (Wiggins 2003), the results of which were summarised as following; ‘The site was initially identified as a circular spread of charcoal-rich clay, c. 4.5m in diameter, containing dense burnt stone fragments. The limits of the site were concealed by natural grey sediment up to 0.25m thick. Most of this was mechanically excavated to reveal the edges of the spread before full excavation. There was a stone culvert aligned south-west/ north-east at the north-western corner of the site. A pit-like feature was situated close to the western edge of the spread. It was 1.17m long, 1.1m wide and 0.45m deep. The fill comprised two deposits: a lower deposit of grey/brown silty clay, large sandstone blocks, numerous burnt stone fragments and spots of charcoal, and an upper deposit of dark grey, silty clay, charcoal, ash and burnt stone fragments. A second cut was a linear feature close to the northern limit of the burnt spread. It had an excavated length (north-west/south-east) of 1.75m and was 0.75m wide and 0.22m deep. The fill was grey/pale grey, silty clay. The fully exposed burnt stone spread measured 8.5m (north–south) by 5.5m and was up to 0.25m thick. A short curving channel in the boulder-clay surface was found directly underneath the spread. This feature was 2.7m long (south-west/ north-east), up to 1m wide, and up to 0.5m deep on the western side’ (www.excavations.ie 2002 No. 1143)

Compiled by: Fiona Rooney

Date upload: 1 July 2020

References

Wiggins, K. 2003 Gas pipeline to the west Barnakyle to Coonagh West, Caheranardrish, Mungret, Co. Limerick. Unpublished report (Licence No. 02E1735), submitted by Margaret Gowen and Company Ltd. on behalf of Bord Gáis Éireann to the National Monuments Service, Dúchas.