County: Mayo Site name: FALLAKEERAN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 01E0966
Author: Bernard Guinan
Site type: Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 543073m, N 771248m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.687848, -8.861836
During the monitoring of topsoil removal as part of the Lough Mask Regional Water Supply Scheme Stage III (see No. 918, Excavations 2001, 01E0314), two deposits of burnt stone c. 150m apart were noted within peat in the townland of Fallakeeran, Co Mayo. Fallakeeran I and II and were excavated from November to January 2001/2.
Fallakeeran I was a deposit of burnt sandstone c. 3.5m (north–south) by 5m. The site was very disturbed by field drains, cultivation furrows, the existing water mains and land reclamation. Topsoil 0.25–0.3m deep and a layer of peat 0.2–0.4m deep overlay a deposit of burnt sandstone 0.15–0.2m deep. This burnt stone was set in a charcoal-rich soil at its western end and to the east in a peat matrix with very little charcoal. A large sand-filled land drain c. 1m wide truncated the south-eastern end of the site. This, together with the local water pipeline, probably destroyed a large part of the site. One isolated zone of burnt stone c. 2m by 2m was found under the water pipe. Archaeological deposits overlay peat 0.05–0.1m deep. The natural stratum underlying the site was a dark grey horizon composed mainly of decayed sandstone. The excavation did not uncover a trough or boiling-pits. A number of finds of lithic débitage of both flint and chert were recovered.
Fallakeeran II was discovered beneath a compact layer of redeposited natural material 0.2–0.3m deep, thrown up during land improvements. Beneath this reclamation zone a layer of peat c. 0.3–0.4m deep covered a very residual spread of burnt sandstone c. 2m (north-west/south-east) by 5m. No evidence of a mound survived. Burnt stone only survived in intermittent patches averaging c. 1m in diameter and c. 0.03–0.05m deep. In addition to land reclamation, the site was disturbed by a drain containing a terracotta pipe. Digger teeth-marks indicating further disturbance were noted at the southern end of the site. The residual burnt stone rested on natural boulder clay. The excavation did not produce a trough or boiling-pits. There were no finds of archaeological importance.
Coosan, Athlone, Co. Westmeath
