County: Clare Site name: SMITHSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 01E0522
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 540702m, N 663779m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.721863, -8.877769
This site was discovered in the course of monitoring topsoil-stripping during the Dromoland to Ballycasey Road Improvement Scheme Phase II. The site, AR33B, was subsequently excavated, as it was apparent that the construction of the road would destroy any underlying archaeology. This site was located along the southern edge of the proposed N19 route, south of SMR 51:141, a ringfort.
The area exposed measured approximately 15m by 16m. The removal of the topsoil revealed a fulacht spread of heat-shattered sandstone and charcoal and numerous pits and features of post-medieval date. Excavation identified two troughs, one that was located on a natural spring and one that underlay the fulacht spread. Numerous pits were identified, and one of particular interest had sixteen stake-holes cut into the base. Features of post-medieval date, including furrows and land drains, truncated the fulacht spread and earlier underlying pits. A worked flint fragment was the only find recovered. A radiocarbon date obtained from a charcoal sample from the fulacht spread indicated that the site dated from 1140–800 BC. Further stripping in the adjacent area failed to identify any other archaeological features.
15 Trinity Street, Drogheda, Co. Louth
