What is recorded here

Half a metre deep and no wider than a man’s outstretched arms, the trough sat between two living streams in Ballylusky, forever full without a pump. Heat-shattered sandstone and charcoal filled its base like a jar of broken teeth, while a faint hearth mark lay a metre and a half away. Three more troughs waited a hundred metres north, as if the whole valley had been seasoned for boiling. When the road works opened the ground in 2007, the ancient kitchen emerged still damp, still patient, still hungry for fire.

Situated between the stream that forms the boundary between Ballylusky and Earlsrath townlands and one of its tributaries. Excavated in 2007 in advance of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road improvement scheme (Licence no. E3391, E3645). A spread of heat-shattered sandstone (8m E-W; 10m N-S; D 0.38m) mixed with charcoal in the centre but clean towards the edges. The trough (1.92m NE-SW; 1.42m NW-SE; D 0.7m) was earth-cut and subrectangular in plan with steep sides and a flattish base. It was filled with a compact deposit of black sandy silt, charcoal and heat-shattered sandstone. The fragmentary remains of a hearth were uncovered 1.5m to the NE of the trough. At the time of excavation water from both streams seeped steadily into the trough ensuring it was constantly full of water. Three other fulachta fia (KK040-092----, KK040-093---- and KK040-094----) were excavated c. 100m to the N on the N bank of the stream. (Wren 2010a; 2010b, 243-4, 916) Compiled by: Mary Tunney Date of upload: 27 November 2013

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