Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

Identified in centre-line testing (E4110) in advance of the M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy road scheme and set aside for resolution as Drumgold 2 (Hardy et al. 2010, 88-9). It is situated on a plateau extending SE of Vinegar Hill, c. 1.7km to the WNW. It was completely excavated (E4169) by D. Gallagher when a straight-sided circular trough (diam. 2.26-2.37m; D 0.3-0.43m) with five stake-holes in the base was recorded. This was surrounded by three small pits (dims 0.3-0.7m; D 0.1-0.14m), with a larger pit (dims 3.9m; x 2.4m; D 0.4m) mostly filled with burnt mound material, just to the SE. Apart from a small spread (dims 1.85m x 0.9m) that initially identified the site there was no burnt mound. However, 6.4m to the NW two curvilinear channel s (Wth 0.65m; D 0.56m: Wth 0.67m; D 0.31m) fed into a pit (dims 3.05m x 1.5m; D 073m), largely filled with silts, that may have brought water to the trough. A sample from a secondary fill of the trough produced a C14 date of Cal. BC 2276-2036, and a sample from the upper fill of the large pit produced a C14 date of Cal. BC 1208-1009. This suggests two discrete phases at the site while two sherds of Neolithic carinated bowls recovered from the topsoil indicate early settlement in the vicinity. The enclosure (WX026-080001-) and hut-sites (WX026-080002-; WX026-080003-) are c. 160m to the SW. (Hardy and McNamara 2012; Gallagher 2013)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 29 November, 2013

References

Hardy, C., Nugent, L., Homan Reid, R; O'Liathain, N; Whitty, Y.; and Coleman, C. 2010 N11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme. Archaeological Consultancy Services, Stage (1)a. E4110. Testing report for Wexford County Council. Unpublished. TVAS (Ireland).

Hardy, C. and McNamara, C. 2012 M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme, Co. Wexford. E4169, Drumgold 2. Stage (IV) Final Excavation Report for Wexford County Council. Unpublished report, TVAS (Ireland).

Gallagher, D. 2013 Drumgold 2. Trough, pits, stake-holes. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2013: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 240, No. 748. Dublin. Wordwell.