What is recorded here

Heat-shattered stones and charcoal soil mark a fulacht fia on a Fermoy hilltop, dated 1750-1440 cal. BC. Two troughs sat beside post-holes that may have held wind breaks, while a spring well flowed nearby to refill the boiling water. People likely gathered there to cook, clean or prepare food, using the hill’s depth and the well’s gift. The bypass works revealed the site in 2003, returning a lost kitchen to the edge of memory.

On the summit of a hill, to the NE of a spring well. A mound (12m x 6.5m; max. D 0.26m) of heat-shattered stones and charcoal-enriched soil was discovered during archaeological testing in advance of the construction of the N8 Rathcormac-Fermoy Bypass and was excavated in 2003. Excavation revealed two subrectangular troughs. Both troughs were associated with small post-holes and stake-holes which may have supported wind breaks or other small structures. The fill of one of the troughs was radiocarbon dated to 1750-1440 cal. BC. Two other fulachtaí fia (CO035-129----, CO035-130----) lay c. 10m to the W and c. 25m to the SW, respectively. A Neolithic pit (CO035-149----) was located c. 3.5m to the S. (O'Connell 2006h, 59, Burnt Mound 3; 2006i, 63-4) The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009

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