Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

On the N outskirts of Ballina town, located at the base of the W-facing slope of a low grassy N–S ridge, on the edge of a lowlying area of reeds and scrubland, through which a small stream flows.
This fulacht fia was discovered during monitoring of the Ballina main drainage scheme, and was subsequently fully excavated (licence no. 06E0195) in 2006 (Zajac 2009). There was no surface indication prior to soil stripping. It underlay a shallow layer of peat, and overlay subsoil.
The mound of burnt stone, ash and charcoal had been disturbed in the past, and was found in two discrete concentrations, the larger concentration (c. 5.2 E–W; 5.8m N–S; D 0.35m) being 1m to N of a smaller patch (3.8m NE–SW; 2.2m NW–SE; D 0.2m). On the W edge of the larger concentration of burnt stone, there was a trough (L 3.2m NW–SE; Wth 1m; max D 0.35m), oval in plan, with a flat base and almost vertical sides, except at NW where there was shallow, sloping side. A single, tangentially-split oak plank (L 2.7m; Wth 0.55; T 0.08m) remained in situ, lining the base of the trough. A flat-based cylindrical pit (diam. 0.4m; D 0.48m) was uncovered c. 3.5m S of the trough, under the smaller patch of burnt stones; the N edge of the pit had a shallow cut sloping toward the pit opening, possibly acting as a channel to allow water to flow into it. Artefacts recovered during the excavation included a retouched chert blade, struck debitage, and a small quantity of animal bones. (Zajac 2009). Another fulacht fia (MA030-096----) 35m to N was also excavated.

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of revised upload: 13 August 2019

References

Zajac, S. 2009 Ballina main drainage stage II, Archaeological report. Licence no. 06E195.
Ministerial consent no. C127. Registration no. E2019. September 2009. Unpublished report submitted to NMS.