Fulacht fia in Cookstown Great

Situated on a level landscape, with a canalized N-S stream c. 50m to the E. Archaeological testing (04E0918) by D. Nelis (2005) in Testing Area 9 of Contract 4 of the M3 motorway identified burnt mound material (excavations.ie 2004:1213) that was excavated (E003138) by G. McLoughlin (2010) as Cookstown Great 2 during January and February 2007 (excavations.ie 2007:1291) when an area of 9600 square metres was opened and three prehistoric phases were identified. Two isolated pits (dims 1.48m x 1.27m; D 0.21m: 1.2m x 0.73m; D 0.16m) that were filled with heat-affected stones are interpreted as possible troughs, and a sample of hazel charcoal from one provided a C14 date of 2337-2144 cal. BC (UBA 11083). Although there is no burnt mound surviving and no other features are associated with the pits, this is probably the remains of a fulacht fia dating to the Early Bronze Age. (McLoughlin 2010, 5-6) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload; 23 March 2022