1986:13 - BALLYNAGERAGH (BGE), Cork

This was an enigmatic site of multi-period features, some of which may relate to the occupation of Rathmore Castle, which lies 90m from the excavated site. The features occurred on the left-hand side of the gas pipeline corridor, extending across it for a distance of roughly 4m.

The features revealed included a dump of stones in a heavily charred soil, containing charred grain; several pits, the functions of which were not ascertained; and a number of agricultural gullies.

The stone dump itself was a mixed deposit, 4.6m x 1.2m, which included an area of in-situ burning at its east end. A quern fragment (the only artefact found on the site) was recovered from the dumped stones, all of which were quarried slabs. Removal of this material revealed several stakeholes which may indicate some structural feature within the shallow pit filled by the dumped material. There were no obvious indications that the remains might be those of a corn-drying kiln.

Two deep pits which lay close to the east end of the dumped material each displayed evidence of in-situ burning at their bases. They were both roughly 1.8m x 1.5m; both were steep-sided and flat-bottomed and 30-54cm deep.

Two further, shallower pits lay in a rough arc along with those above.

All these features lay on a roughly curvilinear platform of subsoil extending out from the fence line, the edge of which appeared to have been scraped away to a depth of 20cm. It is likely that further archaeological features extend into the field to the west of the area excavated.

A series of linear features were found to cross all those described above. One of these was a robber trench for a wall. The remainder were of agricultural derivation.

Further excavation in the area to the west of the site, outside the pipeline corridor, would be necessary to aid an interpretation of the features described above.

5 St. Catherine's Road, Glenageary, Dublin