Fulacht fia in Ballyadam (barrymore By.)

In low-lying ground. A spread of heat-shattered stones and charcoal-enriched soil over a trough and eight pits was discovered during archaeological monitoring in 2007 in advance of the construction of an industrial development. The pits were located to the north and south of the trough. The trough (2.65m E-W; 1.6-2.2m N-S; D 0.45m) was roughly oval in plan and the edges were irregular on the north side and the sides were vertical down to a flat base. Its fill comprised a layer of heat-shattered stones and charcoal that represented a single infill. This may be mound slippage rather than the final cooking activity at the site where it is unlikely that the amount of stones used filled the trough in entirety. Six stake-holes were recorded at the base of the trough. Three occurred on the N and S sides and one stake-hole was recorded adjacent to the southern trough pit edge. The stake-holes (diam. 0.08-0.11m; D 0.08-0.13m) were all 'V'-shaped in profile. The fills were stony charcoal-flecked silt. It is probable that the stake-holes within the trough pit functioned as pegs to secure the trough lining in place. A post-hole (0.3m N-S; 0.5m E-W; D 0.31m) was located 0.3m from the NW edge of the trough and may have held a post related to trough use. It contained a silt fill. Two large packing-stones remained in situ on the N side and a series of smaller stones along the remaining edges may also have held the post in place. A second post-hole (0.26m E-W; 0.31m N-S; D 0.21m) was located 0.45m from the trough edge. It contained charcoal-enriched clay fills. This fulacht fia was radiocarbon-dated to 2192-2938 cal. BC (3714±34 BP) (UBA 8454). A possible burnt mound (CO076-122----) lies c. 50m to the S. (pers. comm. Rose M. Cleary) The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009