1998:612 - LISHEEN MINE COMPLEX, Barnalisheen/Cooleeney/Derryfadda/Killoran, Tipperary

Following the completion of assessment and wetland excavation in Derryville Bog (Excavations 1995, 93; Excavations 1996, 102–5; Excavations 1997, 163–77), the interdisciplinary archaeological study the Lisheen Archaeological Project continued with the archaeological monitoring and mitigation of all dry-land operations for the construction of the Lisheen Mine. This covered an area of 250ha across four townlands affected by the development. The Lisheen Arhaeological Project is funded in full by the developer, the Lisheen Mine Partnership Ltd, and managed by Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd. Monitoring commenced in September 1997 and finished in August 1998.

Construction operations comprised large-scale topsoil removal for quarry sites; linear topsoil-stripping for access roads, peat excavation and stockpiling; trench cutting for drainage/ducting pipes; and keyhole excavations for service poles, stations and test-holes. Thirty-two archaeological sites were uncovered during monitoring and were spread broadly across the development area; a further two sites were revealed in adjacent areas through a campaign of field-walking. Dúchas/ the National Museum of Ireland issued separate licence numbers in retrospect to this writer (Excavations 1997, 173, 174–5, Kil:03, 97E0036, Kil:04, 97E0051 and Kil:10, 97E0168) for discrete sites designated by them, whilst large sites required a separate licence holder: John Ó Néill (Excavations 1997, 173–4, Kil:08, 97E439) and Cara Murray (No. 614, Excavations 1998).

Archaeological monitoring and excavation continued from January to August 1998 following works carried out in 1997. A further two sites were revealed in field-walking in and around the development area. These were both burnt mounds from Cooleeney and Killoran townlands.

BARNALISHEEN 1
Burnt mound
S193676
This site was a burnt mound running into the baulk and was 3m+ x 1m in exposed length and width and 0.3m deep. The mound consisted of charcoal-rich, peaty soil with fire-cracked stone, heavily truncated.

BARNALISHEEN 2
Burnt pits
S193676
This site consisted of two small pits containing burnt mound material of fire-cracked stone and charcoal-rich silt.

BARNALISHEEN 3
Burnt pits
S193675
This site consisted of three small, oval pits containing burnt mound material of fire-cracked stone and charcoal-rich silt.

KILLORAN 12
Destroyed burnt mound
S202668
Revealed during tree clearance and trench cutting for the installation of an ESB pylon, the site had been destroyed by the field bank and ditch before development. It comprised a spoilheap of fire-cracked stone within a black, charcoal-rich, sandy silt matrix.

KILLORAN 13
Burnt mound
S201669
This site was revealed during trench cutting for a road drainage scheme. A large trench was excavated by machine. The site was a burnt mound revealed in section as a thick band of small fire-cracked stone (80% sandstone, 20% limestone), 0.54–1.26m thick.

KILLORAN 14
Fulacht fiadh
S200669
The site was a fulacht fiadh with a shallow, circular trough, 3.9m in diameter and 0.33m deep. The cut was filled by burnt mound material. The truncated burnt mound measured 14.8m east-west x 5.7m+ and was 0.24m deep and roughly horseshoe shaped. It consisted of small, fire-cracked stone (80% sandstone, 20% limestone).

KILLORAN 15
Burnt pit
S211666
The site consisted of a large, possibly medieval, burnt pit and a smaller pit. The burnt pit was oval and measured 2.46m east-west by 1.5m and was 0.4m deep. The pit sides were substantially reddened, and it was filled by several layers of clayey silt with intermittent layers of charcoal. A similar pit at Killoran 3 was dated to the 11th century AD (Excavations 1997, 173, 97E0036).

KILLORAN 17
Early Bronze Age fulacht fiadh
S212669
The site consisted of a fulacht fiadh with several intercutting troughs. The first subcircular trough measured c. 2.3m x 1.8m x 0.45m deep, and contained fills of grey clay and fire-cracked stone, charcoal and silty clay. Charcoal identified as Evonymus, Quercus, Corylus, Pyrus/Malus, Ulmus and Fraxinus (I.L. Stuijts, pers. comm.) produced a radiocarbon date for the site of 2585–2195 BC (Beat-117547).

A second oval trough partially cutting the northern edge of the first measured 2.1m x 1.8m x 0.47m deep. This contained a stake-hole cut into the base of the trough. The partially ploughed-out burnt mound of small, fire-cracked stone (80% sandstone, 20% limestone) was roughly circular and measured 10.8m east-west by 8m and 0.15m deep.

KILLORAN 19
Fulacht fiadh
S216663
The site was a fulacht fiadh with complex intercutting troughs. The earliest subrectangular trough measured c. 1.6m x 1.55m x 0.47m deep. In the base of the trough was a large, circular depression that served as a well or sump. The fill was fire-cracked stone in charcoal-rich peat, with large flags, possibly a disturbed stone lining. Two associated internal stake-holes were cut into the base of the trough.

The second trough complex was, in effect, several attempts at a successful trough. It consisted of the original pit cut and recut by shallow, oval or rectangular pits, to form a large irregular trough with flat base and oblong depression, representing a widened spring, with posts, and filled by burnt mound material and peat. The partially truncated burnt mound was roughly circular and measured 15m east-west by 5m+ and 0.17m in truncated depth.

KILLORAN 21
Fulacht fiadh
S205668
This fulacht fiadh contained a subcircular trough measuring 1.94m x 1.76m x 0.5m deep, with thirteen fills. The ploughed-out burnt mound covered an area of over 9.5m x 8m x 0.13m and consisted of small, fire-cracked stone (80% sandstone, 20% limestone).

KILLORAN 22: STRUCTURE 1
Fulacht fiadh
S211669
This heavily ploughed-out fulacht fiadh contained two troughs: one trough appeared to cut a second and was 1.4m in diameter and 0.58m deep, filled by sandy clay silt with burnt sandstone. The second subcircular trough was 1.25m in diameter and 0.25m deep and contained three fills of sand, silt and charcoal and burnt mound material. This trough showed signs of a burnt lining of light brushwood. Two teeth (Ovis-sheep/goat) were recovered from the upper fill. A possible hearth site in a rectangular feature measured 1.07m+ x 0.76m and was 0.24m deep. The ploughed-out burnt mound covered an area of 4.53m x 8m+ x 0.18m.

KILLORAN 22: STRUCTURE 2
Fulacht fiadh
S211669
This ploughed-out fulacht fiadh contained a shallow, subcircular trough, measuring 1.7m x 1.44m x 0.12m, filled by burnt mound material. A shallow, circular stake-hole was cut into the corner of the trough. A truncated hearth lay in an irregular depression measuring over 1.4m x 2.45m x 0.21m deep. The ploughed-out burnt mound was almost totally removed; it covered an approximate area of 4.53m+ x 7.5m+ x 0.18m and consisted of small, fire-cracked stone (80% sandstone, 20% limestone).

KILLORAN 23
Medieval boiling pit
S202671
The site consisted of a subcircular pit 1.8m in diameter and 0.55m deep. It had steep, straight or convex sides and was filled with several layers of charcoal-rich silt and fire-cracked stone. Charcoal from this sample was identified as Quercus, Fraxinus, Betula and Pyrus/Malus (I.L. Stuijts, pers. comm.) and produced a date of AD 660–880 (Beta-117550).

KILLORAN 24
Isolated flat cremations
S212669
The site consisted of two isolated cremations. The first was a steep-sided pit, measuring 0.34m x 0.24m x 0.18m deep, containing an abundance of cremated bone within a particularly charcoal-rich fill capped by redeposited, light grey clay subsoil and stone. The second cremation was a shallow, concave pit, 0.42m in diameter and 0.16m deep, which contained less charcoal, a few tiny fragments of burnt bone and some large fragments of fired clay.

KILLORAN 25
Burnt mound
S211669
The site was a partially ploughed-out burnt mound covering an area of over 30m x 23m x 0.8m. It was preserved to its full thickness under a field bank roughly central to the site, sealed by upcast subsoil from the associated field ditch. The burnt mound sealed peat and consisted of two layers of burnt material. The upper layer was 0.3m deep and composed of small, fire-cracked limestone. The lower layer was 0.37m deep and consisted of fire-cracked stone (95% sandstone, 5% limestone).

KILLORAN 26
Late Bronze Age fulacht fiadh
S216664
The site was a fulacht fiadh consisting of a subrectangular trough measuring 2.36m x 2m x 0.46m deep filled by a silt layer under an almost uniform layer of charcoal and charred wood, representing a burnt plank or roundwood lining, sealed by a hard packing of redeposited clay subsoil up against the sides, probably representing a relining of the trough for a second use. Charcoal from Dep. 4, identified as Pyrus/Malus, Quercus, Corylus and Fraxinus (I.L. Stuijts, pers. comm.) produced a radiocarbon date of 1145–795 BC (Beta-117549).

A recut of the trough followed the burning of the initial lining and collapse of the side lining and was represented within the smaller area delimited by the redeposited clay packing. An associated stake-hole cut the edge of the trough. The ploughed-out spread of burnt mound material covered part of the trough and stake-hole and had been largely removed by machine during stripping. It appeared to cover an area 13m x 7m x 0.01m (80% sandstone, 20% limestone).

KILLORAN 27
Late Bronze Age fulacht fiadh
S205665
This site was a ploughed-out fulacht fiadh consisting of a large, sub-oval trough measuring 3.45m x 2.72m x 1.22m deep. It contained fills of silts, redeposited clay/sand subsoil and fire-cracked stone. A recut trough consisted of a subrectangular pit measuring 1.64m x 1.24m x 0.37m. The trough was filled by a thick layer of slumped, organic, silty clay containing wood fragments and also sheep/goat (Ovis) bone and teeth and occasional fire-cracked stone, sealed by sand. The upper level of the trough was delimited by an oak timber step, which produced a dendrochronological date of 932 BC (Q9698). The spread of burnt mound material had been largely removed by machine during stripping but appeared to cover an area of 10.7m x 6m x 0.2m.

KILLORAN 29
Fulacht fiadh
S211668
This site was a heavily ploughed-out fulacht fiadh with a sub-oval trough, partly sealed by thin patches of a heavily ploughed-out spread of burnt sandstone, silt and charcoal and peat, and an irregular feature, possibly a hearth. The sub-oval trough measured 1.91m x 1.78m x 0.23m and contained a basal fill of burnt mound material sealed by a layer of charcoal-flecked clay and peat. The ploughed-out burnt mound was almost entirely removed during mechanical stripping over an area of 12m+ north-south by 11m to a depth of 0.1m. A possible hearth measured 1.04m x 0.8mm x 0.1m.

KILLORAN 30
Fulacht fiadh
S21166
This site was a heavily ploughed-out fulacht fiadh with oblong trough, measuring 1.76m x 1.04m x 0.37m deep, containing several fills of inwashed silt and burnt mound material. The ploughed-out burnt mound was almost entirely non-existent and covered an area of 7.6m+ x 6.7m to a maximum depth of 0.01m.

2 Killiney View, 2 Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin