County: Clare Site name: KNOCKAUN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 01E0739
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 540551m, N 664428m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.727677, -8.880121
At the construction phase of the Dromoland to Ballycasey Road Improvement Scheme Phase II, topsoil-stripping was monitored along the proposed road route and a fulacht site (AR32A) was identified on the western side of the proposed N18, south-east of a cairn (AR32).
The removal of the topsoil revealed a fulacht spread of heat-shattered sandstone and charcoal and numerous furrows and pits. Six east–west-orientated furrows and three pits of post-medieval date were identified in the northern area of the site. A furrow cut the northern edge of the fulacht spread, which had maximum dimensions of 7.5m by 8.4m. Excavation identified a trough just beyond the south-eastern edge of the fulacht. This trough was rectangular in shape and the sides had dense concentrations of charcoal, suggesting that it was originally timber-lined. An oval pit was also exposed beneath the fulacht spread, cut into the natural boulder clay. No finds were recovered from the fill but it is presumably contemporary with the fulacht spread.
A radiocarbon date (2120–2100 BC) was obtained from a charcoal sample from the fulacht spread and this indicated that the site was early Bronze Age in date.
Further stripping in the adjacent area failed to identify any other archaeological features.
15 Trinity Street, Drogheda, Co. Louth
