Fulacht fia in Knockawillin (duhallow By., Clonfert Par.)

In boggy ground, planted with coniferous trees. Discovered when cultivation trench (Wth 1.3m; D 0.7m) bisected mound and partially destroyed wooden trough. Excavated September/October 1991 by J. O'Shaughnessy (1992a, 7). Excavation revealed roughly oval mound of burnt material (15m x 13m; max. H 0.5m) with central trough (Wth 1.2m; max. D 0.3m; long axis NE-SW). Trough pit rectangular and steep-sided; base lined with four oak planks; sides with combination of planks and thin narrow timbers; SW end of trough destroyed by cultivation trench (surviving L 1.4m). Side planks held in position by stakes and stone slabs. Closely spaced slabs provided stepping-stone access to trough from NW. Hearth with clay base (1.2m x 1.2m) directly opposite SW end of trough; partially covered by dense layer of charcoal extending towards trough. Two adjacent stake-holes. Stone pathway (L 9m) extended from NW edge of mound westwards towards firmer ground. Two secondary features of unknown function also uncovered. Pit (Wth 2.2m; D 0.3m), immediately E of hearth, visible in section face of cultivation trench, filled with mound material; not excavated. Rectilinear pit-like feature (1.6m x 1m) 1m NE of trough was truncated by cultivation trench; narrow gully or drain extended from E end. No artefacts recovered. Samples taken from trough timbers were dendrochronologically dated to 1513± 9BC (QUB) (pers. comm. J. O'Shaughnessy). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009