Excavated Killybegs Burnt Mound

This fulacht fia was exposed in the north-facing section of a drainage channel during archaeological testing in advance of a proposed development on the SE side of Killybegs town. It was subsequently excavated (01E0065). It consisted of a mound (L 16m long; D 0.52m) of burnt stone enclosing a central timber trough (Wth 1m wide; D c. 0.25m), which had been greatly damaged by the digging of the later drainage channel. The upper layer of the mound consisted of angular fragmented stones in charcoal-enriched, black sandy clay. A thin lens of dark sticky clay intervened between this layer and a lower layer of small angular stones with charcoal fragments and moderate ash content in yellow/brown sandy clay. This lower layer filled the timber trough. The base of the trough was lined with unworked lengths of wood. The mound overlay a layer of natural marl. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 12 June 2020

A Neolithic burnt mound (fulacht fia) dating to around 2500–2000 BC; significant as a rare example of this type of site in the area, often associated with ritual or thermal activity.