Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

On Fornaght Strand, also known as Forenagh Beach, immediately N of Creadan Head. A storm in 2016 exposed the wooden trough (dims. 2.02m E-W; 1.28m N-S; D 0.22m) of a fulacht fia which was excavated the same year (O’Donoghue 2016, licence no. 16E0079)). The sides of the trough (av. T 0.08m; Wth 18m) consisted of halved logs set on edge. The side walls were supported by five halved roundwood stakes vertically driven into the clay. Four of the stakes were positioned on the internal corners and another placed externally on the SW corner. The floor of the trough was constructed of five timbers laid along the long axis. These timbers consisted of halved roundwood with bark side down, except for the central board which was laid bark side up. The trough was filled with estuary deposits, however, below this there was a layer of heat shattered stone which probably represents the final use of the trough. Beneath the floor timbers there was a small deposit of twigs and fragments of a straw-like material. A small amount of moss packing was also identified between two of the floor timbers. Approximately 3m NE of the trough there is an oval spread (dim. c. 5.2m NW-SE x 1.4-1.8m; D 0.02-0.2m) of friable, burnt and blacked sandstone pieces (avg. dims. 0.05m x 0.1m) which was partially excavated. During the preliminary survey of the trough, a large area beyond the burnt stone spread was identified that contains a lot of shell, especially muscle shells, which may be the remains of a midden. Following excavation the remains of a possible shell midden (WA027-095----), composed entirely of small cockle shells, with small twigs and some bird or fish bones, was exposed beneath the burnt stone spread. (O’Donoghue 2016).

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of revised upload: 30 January 2017

References

O'Donoghue, J. 2016 Archaeological rescue excavation Fornaght Strand, Waterford Harbour, preliminary report. National Monument Service, Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rurial and Gaeltacht Affairs, Dublin. (Licence no. 16E0079).