County: Limerick Site name: ATTYFLIN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 97E0291
Author: Audrey Gahan, ADS Ltd.
Site type: Fulacht fiadh
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 551960m, N 649145m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.591460, -8.708997
An assessment was carried out at this site in advance of construction of the N20/N21 Adare–Annacotty road scheme. While not marked on any OS map, it had been identified during a previous assessment nearby.
On inspection, the site consisted of an elongated mound, approximately 12m x 8m, which was overgrown with trees and brambles. It is situated close to a stream, which now forms part of a field boundary, as well as another fulacht fiadh. A break in tree cover allowed a trial-trench to be excavated through the mound and extending beyond. The trench measured 1m x 10m and was orientated north-west/south-east.
Manual excavation revealed the mound to have been constructed of a series of layers of burnt and heat-shattered stones within a dark brown to black silty soil. The stones were generally small to medium in size and variation among the layers was mainly due to stone concentration. To the north-west, at the edge of the mound, was placed a series of larger stones. Most probably these were laid down as kerbstones to minimise slippage of the burnt mound material. That the kerbing was effective was evidenced by the very small amount of mound material found beyond them.
No artefacts were recovered which could conclusively date the feature. It is intended to further excavate this site during the summer of 1998. Hopefully, that excavation will reveal evidence of a trough and datable artefacts.
Westlink Enterprise Centre, Belfast
