Fulacht fia in Curraghleha West

Archaeological testing (Licence No. 19E0339) was undertaken in early November in 2019 as a part of Archaeological Impact Assessment (AIA). Testing comprised of the excavation of seventeen 2.0m wide test trenches with a total length of c. 2000m. Two burnt mounds, otherwise referred to as fulachta fiadh were found during testing. The first burnt mound (BM1) with a maximum exposed dimensions of c. 7.0m x 9.0m (N-S) and a depth of c.0.50m, was recorded in test trench T1 (centre point ITM coordinates: E 486491, N 613119). The second burnt mound (BM2) [KE029-327----], measuring c. 8.0m x 7.50m, was revealed in trench T17 (centre point ITM coordinates: 486407, N 613136). Additionally, a small shallow deposit of burnt mound material was noted in the NE end of test trench T16. Excavation was undertaken of two of the three features that were discovered during the previous testing (BM1 in Area 1 and the burnt mound material spread in Area 2). The second burnt mound (BM2) was preserved in situ by changing the development layout and avoiding any impact to the monument by the construction works. The excavation of BM1 recommenced in June and completed in July 2021 in ideal weather conditions. The burnt mound and remnants of a wood-lined trough were fully excavated as well as a modern stone drain that bisected the mound. Area 1 was sub-rectangular in area and measured 15m E-W x 14m N-S. Area 1 had been cleaned by hand and pre-recorded in September 2020. Excavation was undertaken in very good and dry weather conditions in June / July 2021. The features recorded and excavated within Area 1 comprised of burnt mound, remnants of wood-lined trough (C.18) and later stone drain (C.21) that traversed the mound in a SW-NE direction. The burnt mound exposed in Area 1 consisted of heat-affected stones in a charcoal-rich compact mid greyish black to black sandy clay matrix. The stone was identified as sandstone and was generally small in size with only a few larger fragments noted. The mound was irregular in plan and measured c.9.20m (E-W) x 7.8m (N-S) and had a maximum thickness of 0.50m. Eleven deposits were recorded within the burnt mound. Most of the material comprised of typical heat-shattered stones within a charcoal rich matrix with slight differences noted in colour and in the amount of stone or charcoal inclusions. A poorly preserved wood-lined trough, rectangular in plan with overall dimensions 0.70m (NW-SE) x 1.35m (NE-SW), was the only feature revealed beneath the NW limits of the burnt mound. It comprised of two base boards (T1 and T2) and two side boards (T3 and T4). The wooden lining was in very poor eroded condition with no original surface surviving and consequently no toolmarks or worked areas were recorded' (Dunne 2021). See attached photographs courtesy of Laurence Dunne Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Laurence Dunne Date of upload: 9 May 2022