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).

MA070-053023- was reported towards the S end of the group. At the E foot of a pasture ridge, just W of a small NE-flowing stream. A low grassed-over subcircular stony mound (diams. 9m E–W; 7m N–S; H 0.1m along the N and W - 0.2m elsewhere). 

Date of visit: 2-9-2025

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

References

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.

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.