1999:047 - CARRIGORAN, AREA EX1, Clare

This large, multi-phased site is to the north-east of Carrigoran Nursing Home in the townland of Carrigoran, west of Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co. Clare. It was identified as an area of archaeological potential by Celie O Rahilly during preliminary work for the N18/19 Road Improvement Scheme. She described it as a possible linear system in her report. It has since been included in the Sites and Monuments Record as a possible field system. The site lies on rough grazing land that slopes gently from the north-west to the south-east, with a marshy area and stream lying to the south and east. The stream feeds Lough Gash to the north-east.

A geophysical survey identified several areas of archaeological potential: areas of burning and a suggested barrow. It was recommended after the site was tested under two licences in 1998 (Excavations 1998, 8–9) that further investigation be made, under a single licence. This was carried out during 1999.

Initial excavation suggested that the site was the remains of a large, stone, oval enclosure with earlier post-hole activity in the north-western sector. As work proceeded, it became clear that the site was much more extensive than originally thought. It can be regarded as a multi-phased mini-landscape, c. 120m by 120m, with the remains of stone field walls, ditches and probable structures represented by post-holes. A possible fulacht fiadh was found in the marshy area in the south-east.

Unfortunately there is evidence of plough disturbance over most of the site; therefore many finds came from immediately below the sod. These included finds of diverse type and date, e.g. a polished stone axe and copper-alloy stick-pin. As work on the site is still in progress, the following is not a definitive phasing: Phase 1: post-hole and pit activity; Phase 2: ditch activity; Phase 3: limestone wall activity; Phase 4: limestone wall destruction; Phase 5: large drainage ditch; and Phase 6: ploughing.

Phase 1
Area A is in the north of the site and produced evidence of a structure 4.3m wide and orientated roughly north-south. It has been truncated at its northern end, so the remains are 3.4m long. It was constructed of posts c. 0.6m in diameter, with a double row of stakes inserted down the longitudinal centre of the structure. A possible fire-pit, 0.7m in diameter, was excavated 1.1m from the southern end of the structure. Other post-holes in the area suggest that the area was fenced. A definite date for the structure cannot be suggested, as no datable finds have yet been recovered from the post-holes, pits or fire-pit. An extended male inhumation, orientated roughly east-west, was uncovered to the north-west of the structure. No datable finds were buried with him.

Other areas also produced post-holes, pits and drainage channels. An extended female inhumation was discovered in the south of Area D. The two burials are c. 50m apart. It is not possible to comment further on them at this stage.

Phase 2
Area A produced evidence of field boundaries in the form of ditches. One of these had silted up, and another ditch had been cut, therefore reducing the size of the field. A bone comb fragment was found in the fill of the second trench, suggesting an Early Christian date for the silting up of the ditch.

Phase 3
This phase post-dates the ditch phase. It is represented by a wide, well-constructed limestone wall. This wall once enclosed a large area c. 60m north-south by 50m east-west and seems to have incorporated the bedrock outcrop to the north. There is also evidence of a wall running roughly south-west through the centre of the area. The wall survives in several places as a single course, with large facing-stones and medium-sized packing stones. The facing-stones have been extensively robbed in other areas; therefore only the smaller packing stones survive at the destruction level.

Phase 4
This was a limestone wall that had been destroyed and extensively robbed.

Phase 5
A large drainage ditch was cut through the south of the site at a late stage in the site's history. It was c. 1.8m wide and 0.6m deep.

Phase 6
At some stage extensive ploughing occurred and disturbed the destruction level of the limestone walls. In some areas the sod was removed directly onto non-archaeological glacial material. This was probably due to the plough action.

Fulacht fiadh
The possible fulacht fiadh was 30m to the south-east of the main activity on site and consisted of a mound of burnt sandstone. A possible trough was cut into the marl below. An area of small to medium-sized compacted stones was found to the north-west of the mound. A flint blade was found on this surface, although it is not directly related to the fulacht fiadh.

Post-excavation work is now in progress; therefore it is not possible to discuss the site in more detail.

Wood Road, Cratloekeel, Co. Clare