County: Limerick Site name: LEAHYS (BGE 3/42/2)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E0900
Author: Kate Taylor and Martin Jones, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 524453m, N 650728m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.602558, -9.115259
This site was examined as part of Bord Gáis Éireann’s Pipeline to the West. It was near the summit of a low rise on the upper slopes of Knockpatrick. The surrounding land was undulating pasture of relatively poor quality, and a small bog lay nearby. An area of 112m2 was investigated, within which lay part of a fulacht fiadh, the remainder of which continued into the adjacent field to the south. The excavated deposit was a shallow mound of burnt clay and heat-shattered stone measuring 9.85m by 9.25m. Despite recent disturbance, the extant mound reached a maximum height of 0.75m. The burnt stone itself was noteworthy, as the local geological deposits included a large band of shale, which had been used in the mound.
At least two phases of site activity and mound construction were visible. A relatively thick deposit of mid-brown/black clay and burnt stone lay directly above the natural geological deposits, although this was visible only at the limit of the excavation, suggesting that most of this phase of activity fell outside the excavated area. There was no evidence of a hearth or trough associated with this area of the site. Slightly overlapping this layer was a stony, dark brown/grey clay deposit, presumably roughly contemporaneous.
Immediately above these layers was evidence of the second phase of activity. This partially overlay the earlier phase, but its focus was farther east. A possible pit or trough was observed, cutting into the earlier layers. This was 0.94m wide and 0.17m deep. The northern edge of the cut was relatively steep, with straight sides, and boulders obscured the southern edge. The base was flat and level. The trough extended beyond the limit of excavation, and because of this the full extent could not be determined. A single, loose fill of black stony clay and burnt stone was recorded. No hearth was evident. Above the trough, the second-phase deposits took the form of a relatively thin mixed layer of grey/black clay, burnt shale and sandstone.
Recent land improvement in the area was evident, including the levelling of part of the mound to fill a depression toward the south, resulting in layers of mound material overlying old sod/topsoil in places. Further modern activity was represented by a shallow field drain, which cut across part of the mound.
2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin
