Burnt spread in Grousemount

New site identified by John Cronin & Associates (JCA) under Licence No. 16E0127 prior to wind farm development in Grousemount, Kilgarvan, Co. Kerry by ESB Wind Development Ltd. This deposit, which has been interpreted as a possible ‘burnt spread’, is located in a sheltered hollow at an elevation of 330m with rising ground to the south and west and with a smaller rise to the northwest. The spread measured 6.5m north-south by 4m east-west within an expanded area centred on the original test trench. Steeply sloping ground to the south of the site precluded this area form being extended and although the spread was observed to be extending beyond the southern baulk of the opened area, the terrain conditions mean it is unlikely that the deposit extends to any great extent in this direction. The spread is bounded on its west, northwest and north sides by a small stream which flows through large sub-rounded stones in a southwest to northeast orientation. The stream flows under the present-day peat level and was not evident at surface level. To the immediate east of the stream a number of large, generally sub-rounded stones are evident sitting within the charcoal rich peaty soil and fragmented stone matrix forming an arc measuring c.1m in width east-west and 1m in length north-south. An increased charcoal concentration was evident within the peaty soil/fragmented stone matrix and the overlying peaty soil in the vicinity of the arc of stones. A stone on the east side of the spread, which was loosened during the initial centre line trenching, allowed a deposit depth of 0.2m to be observed at this point. See attached photograph courtesy John Cronin.