Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

The site was excavated by Emer Dennehy (02E0573) during monitoring of topsoil-stripping along Section 3 of the Bord Gáis Éireann Pipeline to the West, from Goatisland, Co. Limerick, to Gort, Co. Galway. 'Initial topsoil-stripping revealed the site as the shallow remains of a burnt mound, measuring 7m north-south by 4m. Cleaning by hand revealed two large spreads and four natural hollows, all filled with fire-cracked limestone and sandstone in a charcoal-rich matrix. The larger spread was a mixed area of natural and fulacht-type burnt stone material in an L-shaped hollow, measuring 1.9m north-south by 1.4m with a depth of 0.1m. The smaller spread was a subcircular depression measuring 1m by 1.3m with a maximum depth of 0.12m. The four hollows averaged 0.8m in diameter and were 0.08-0.02m deep; all were filled with the same fire-cracked limestone and sandstone in a charcoal-rich matrix. Running east-west across the site was a linear plough furrow over 5m long, 0.12m wide and 0.09m deep, truncating the centre of the site. The site can be interpreted as a series of hollows filled with displaced fulacht material from an area outside the limits of the Bord Gáis Éireann pipeline.' The above description is posted on the web at the following internet address: http://www.excavations.ie/ (accessed 22 August 2012).

Compiled by: Denis Power

Date of upload: 22 August 2012