Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

In 1986, a small group of fulachta fiadh was reported in the townlands of Cashel Upper and Lack East (SMR file). Subsequently, some 23 fulachta fiadh (MA070-053001- to MA070-053015 and MA070-053017 to MA053-024----) were identified, located along a c. 700m long portion of a small stream separating the townlands of Cashel Lower and Cashel Upper to the east from Lack East and Lack West to the west: some were only visible in section faces because of the realignment of the stream to form a drainage channel and were covered by up to one metre of peat (Buckley and Lawless 1987, 32-36). Two of the fulachta fiadh provided material suitable for Carbon 14 dating and yielded dates of 830 (+/- 50) B.C and1360 (+/- 40) B.C. (Buckley and Lawless 1988, 23-25).

MA070-053007- was recorded in the S half of the group, along the E bank of a small NNE-flowing stream. The location is now in improved pasture and when inspected in August 2025 no visible surface trace of the monument was found. However, subsurface deposits may survive intact.

Date of visit: 21-8-2025

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

References

Buckley, Victor M. & Lawless, Christy ‘Two C14 Dates for Fulachta Fiadh near Castlebar – Evidence for the Prehistoric ‘Mini Nuclear Winter’ in County Mayo’. Cathair na Mart – Journal of the Westport Historical Society, Vol. 8, No. 1, (1988), 23-25.

Buckley, Victor M. & Lawless, Christy ‘Prehistoric Cooking in Mayo’, Cathair na Mart – Journal of the Westport Historical Society, Vol. 7, No. 1, (1987), 32-36.