County: Kildare Site name: KILRATHMURRAY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E0433
Author: Susan McCabe, Arch-Tech Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 665880m, N 741872m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.422851, -7.008813
Monitoring of topsoil-stripping took place in Kilrathmurray, Co. Kildare, in April 2002 before gravel-extraction works. The site is to the north-west of Ballykane Hill, on the summit of which is a recently identified ring-barrow.
During monitoring of an area measuring c. 160m square, three features of archaeological potential were revealed beneath c. 0.2m of topsoil. Situated in the south-east corner of the site, these small subcircular features were cut into the natural subsoil, burnt in situ and interpreted as possible smithing hearths. All three features were of comparable size, measuring 0.4m in average diameter, and contained high quantities of iron slag. Further details of these features are given in the excavation summary for the site (see No. 943, Excavations 2002, 02E0513).
32 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2
