Burnt mound in Tulla (tulla Upper By.)

This feature was formerly located in generally level, wet pasture, on the southern edge of Tulla village. It was initially identified by Dominic Delaney through geophysical survey and targeted archaeological testing (Licence No. 09E262) which had been carried out across the site of a proposed residential development at Tulla, Co. Clare (Delaney 2009). A deposit (3.7m NE-SW; max. T 0.21m) of heat-shattered stone with frequent charcoal staining was uncovered at the site of one of the geophysical anomalies in the southern part of the development site (ibid.). A second deposit (L 2.8m) was recorded adjacent to SW and comprised of a dark-brown clayey silt with occasional heat-shattered stone and charcoal inclusions (ibid.). The two deposits were interpreted as the remains of a possible fulacht fiadh and preservation in situ was recommended. In 2014 these features were excavated (Licence No. 14E0023 ext.) during the planning stages for a proposed secondary school on this site (O’Connell 2014). No archaeological artefacts were recovered. A second burnt mound (CL035-168----) was recovered c. 75m to SW and excavated under the same licence. In 2015, a third burnt mound (CL035-167----) c. 45m to N, was recovered during groundworks for St Joseph’s Secondary School, which was constructed on this site 2015-16 (Halpin and McQueen 2016). Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Alison McQueen Date of upload: 21 November 2017

Burnt mound in Tulla is a Bronze Age ritual or industrial site, dated to approximately 2000–800 BCE. Its significance lies in providing evidence of early human activity, possibly related to feasting, ceremonial practices, or metalworking in the region.