Mullhalls Fort — Graigues

On level, mixed pasture and tillage overlooking lower ground immediately to the W. A very poorly preserved circular area (diam. c. 80m) is defined by an inner earthen bank (Wth 3.5m; int. H 0.8m; ext. H 1.6m) NNE-ENE and SSE-W, and by an outer fosse (Wth 2.2m; D 0.4m) NNE-ENE and E-SE. A road (Wth 13m including verges) runs E-W across the monument to N of centre. To the N of the road a modern house stands in the interior of the monument and there is a second bungalow in the interior to the S of the road. Also to the S of the road, in the E sector, there is a wooden cattle pen and crush, from which a heavily poached trackway meanders S across the interior, over the fosse and into the field to the SE. In 1999, an archaeological assessment (Licence No. 99E0085: www.excavations.ie) was conducted on a section of the Prosperous to Robertstown Water Improvement Scheme running along the road through the monument. Two trenches were excavated along the proposed pipeline and road verge to a depth of 1.4m. Two sherds of 19th century ceramic were recovered from one trench in disturbed boulder clay. The second trench crossed the western extent of the fort. No features or artefacts associated with the fort were uncovered suggesting that the area had been greatly disturbed by the construction of the road. Subsequent monitoring of the excavation of the trench through 'Mullhall's Fort' did not reveal any archaeological stratigraphy. In 2001, archaeological monitoring (Licence No.01E073: www.excavations.ie) took place in advance of an extension to a domestic dwelling in the SW quadrant of the interior of the fort. Previous monitoring, preceding the construction of the dwelling in the early 1990s, revealed that, with the exception of two field drains and a number of relatively modern post-holes, no features or finds of any archaeological significance were uncovered (Excavations 1991, No. 74). The foundations of the extension were dug to the top of the natural soil. The fill of the foundation trenches consisted of redeposited garden soils. No archaeological features or finds were uncovered. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011