County: Kilkenny Site name: KILMURRY/RATHPATRICK
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E0192
Author: Cathy Sheehan, ADS Ltd.
Site type: Pit, Burnt spread and Cultivation ridges
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 664392m, N 616344m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.294989, -7.056005
Testing was carried out at the townlands of Kilmurry and Rathpatrick as part of investigation work for the N25 Waterford Bypass. The area was selected for investigation because of its location at the margins of a stream and the potential for remains of human activity, in particular the remains of fulachta fiadh. Three areas produced material indicative of burnt-mound material. Two of these were contained within pits, and the third occurred as a spread of burnt material 12m east of a mound outside the area of the corridor. Two sherds of Leinster cooking ware were recovered as unassociated finds on the buried sod horizon and were not, therefore, linked with defined features. However, a linear feature and pit were found near the pottery. Three distinct groups of cultivation furrows were recorded, and features associated with land improvement consisted of two intersecting drains and a burnt spread resulting from scrub clearance. Mitigation proposals included full excavation of the identified features and monitoring of all topsoil removal.
Windsor House, 11 Fairview Strand, Fairview, Dublin 3
