2007:AD13 - CAHERDRINNY (1), Cork

Phase 2 excavation works were undertaken, on behalf of Cork County Council, along the route of the N8 Fermoy–Mitchelstown bypass. The proposed bypass involves the construction of c. 16km of dual carriageway extending from Gortore north of Fermoy to Carrigane north-east of Mitchelstown. A programme of advance testing (Phase 1) had been carried out in October 2005, the results of which appeared in Excavations 2005.

Caherdrinny 1 was located at the head of the glen that surrounds the Glencorra Stream. One deposit of dark brown silty clay was excavated. The deposit was charcoal-rich and it contained large amounts of shattered stones (c. 60% of the deposit). This was interpreted as a fulacht fiadh/burnt mound, although there was no trough associated with the spread of burnt-mound material. The absence of a trough suggests that the hot-stone technology used at this site was not associated with heating water. However, the deposit was severely truncated and it is possible that the original trough from this site has been destroyed.