Pit alignment in Ballymacthomas,coolnadead

'The two linear features were situated to the south of a removed field boundary. Both features contained iron slag-like material. These features were identified during the monitoring of the N21 Road Improvement Scheme. The first was filled with a reddish-purple, compact, silty clay, with occasional charcoal flecking. Its cut was shallow, with a U-shaped base, and was crescent-shaped. It measured 1.3m north-south x 2.5m and was 0.15m deep. The second was filled with similar material to the first. It measured 0.57m north-south by 2.1m and was 0.lm deep. Again it was U-shaped. No in situ burning was apparent in either feature. Owing to the predominance of iron panning in the immediate area, the excavator suggested that the features are associated with the production of iron raw material.' Description from ‘The Prehistoric Settlement of the Lee Valley, Tralee, Co. Kerry; A Landscape Perspective’ by Michael Connolly. PhD Thesis UCC 2008 Date of upload: 20 June 2012