County: Clare Site name: SHANNAKEA BEG
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E1135
Author: Brian Halpin, for Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Burnt spread
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 521602m, N 653752m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.629332, -9.158060
The topsoil-stripping for the Bord Gáis Éireann Pipeline to the West uncovered part of a burnt spread lying on the crest of a small hill in the townland of Shannakea Beg, Co. Clare. The perimeter of a spread measuring 18m north-east/south-west by 9.7m was partially exposed. A track machine drove over the site after it was taped off, leaving two track impressions down the middle of the site.
The burnt spread lay directly over a yellow, silty, sandy boulder clay. It had a maximum depth of 0.2m and appeared to be the result of two separate periods of activity. It seemed that the remainder of the fulacht ran beyond the limit of excavation on the western boundary fence into the adjacent field, so the true extent and make-up of the site remains unknown. No troughs, structures or associated features were encountered during this investigation, except for a modern field drain measuring 9.7m north-west/south-east with a maximum width of 1m. No datable artefacts were recovered. Specialist reports are forthcoming.
2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin
