County: Dublin Site name: CARMANHALL AND LEOPARDSTOWN (Site 65M)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E0330
Author: Thaddeus C. Breen, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.
Site type: Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 719934m, N 725579m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.266978, -6.202084
Topsoil-stripping on the line of the South-Eastern Motorway uncovered a spread of black charcoal-rich soil measuring 12m by 10m beside an ornamental pond of 18th- or 19th-century date. When this was cleaned back, it proved to be the higher, central part of a more extensive spread; the lower part had been covered with clay containing pottery and glass of recent date. This clay layer was probably deposited as part of the landscaping works associated with the pond, in order to provide a level surface. A wall footing was later dug into this, forming three sides of a rectangle, measuring 7m by 4.5m.
The burnt spread was found to consist of a number of distinct layers and lenses and overlay four shallow depressions, which may have been artificial, and one approximately rectangular pit, measuring 2.56m by 1.2m by 0.8m deep.
The site appears to be a fulacht fiadh, levelled and partly built on during 18th- or 19th-century landscaping. The only find was a single flint flake, possibly waste from artefact manufacture.
13 Wainsfort Crescent, Dublin 6W
