Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a fairly level landscape. Archaeological testing (04E0916) by S. Delaney (2005) at Testing Area 11 of Contract 4 of the M3 motorway identified (excavations.ie 2004:1271) archaeological material that was partially excavated (E003147) in January 2007 by G. McLoughlin (2010) as Town Parks 1 when an area of 1800 square metres was opened and two fulachta fia were recorded (excavations.ie 2007:1395), but both features survive partially outside the excavated area to the SW.

Mound A consisted of a large spread of broken and burnt stones (dims 17m x 15m; T 0.16m) that extended outside the excavated area to the SW. The mound is adjacent to a large pit or water-hole (dims 1.8m plus x 1.8m plus; D 1.12m) also extending off to the SW. A rectangular trough (dims 1.9m x 1.25m; D 0.2m) with a rounded base that was filled with a grey/black silty sand and heat-affected stones was c. 3m N of the mound. A sample of hazel charcoal from its fill provided a C14 date of 2197-2034 cal. BC (UBA 11080). A smaller rectangular trough (dims 1.12m x 0.87m; D 0.31m) had a similar fill and was located at the N edge of the mound. Its E edge was truncated by a NNE-SSW post-medieval field drain (Wth 1.15m; D 0.35m). A second fulacht fia (ME017-081001-) is c. 30m to the NW. (McLoughlin 2010, 5-6)

See the attached site plan from McLoughlin (2010, fig. 5)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 11 March 2022

References

McLoughlin, G. 2010 M3 Clonee – North of Kells, Contract 4, Navan to Kells and Kells Bypass. Final Report on Town Parks 1, Co. Meath. Licence: E003147. Unpublished report, Irish Archaeological Consultancy

Delaney, S. 2005 M3 Clonee-North of Kells; Contract 4, Navan - Kells and Kells Bypass. Report on Archaeological Assessment at Testing Area 11 in Gardenrath, Grangegoddan Glebe and Kilmainham, County Meath. Licence: 04E0916. Unpublished report, Irish Archaeological Consultancy