County: Tipperary Site name: LISRONAGH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 77:10 Licence number: 00E0761
Author: Anne-Marie Lennon, Mary Henry Archaeological Services Ltd.
Site type: Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 620210m, N 629590m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.417443, -7.702889
Monitoring of a development of fifteen local-authority houses at Lisronagh was undertaken in 2001. Nothing of archaeological significance was uncovered. In 2002 the adjoining land bank was developed for the sale of fully serviced sites. No monitoring was undertaken on this phase of the scheme. Dúchas was informed of this infringement and recommended an immediate site inspection, during which an area of possible archaeological interest was noted. This comprised a badly disturbed spread of burnt stone and charcoal, the remains of a burnt mound from a fulacht fiadh. Full excavation of the fulacht fiadh was undertaken in March 2002.
The in situ burnt mound measured 7.8m east–west by 5.3m and survived to a maximum height of 0.2m. The original extent of the mound is unclear, but, from the positioning of the two troughs uncovered, it is likely that it was horseshoe shaped, 2m by 2m, and opened to the north-east.
The excavation uncovered two troughs, both cut into the subsoil. The first trough was subcircular, 2m in diameter and 0.47m deep. The second trough measured 2.3m east–west by 1.84m and was 0.47m deep. There was no evidence that either trough had been lined with timber planks or stone slabs. However, at the base of both troughs small stake-holes were uncovered. These were oval in outline and situated away from the edges of the troughs. They may have been the impressions left from a basket-style container used to hold meat while cooking. Associated with the pits were several small pits, c. 1m in diameter. These may have been associated with the storage or preparation of food used in the troughs. To the east of the troughs an arc of post-holes was uncovered. There may have been more posts in this sequence that were destroyed by recent site works. The posts may have formed a rudimentary shelter for the occupants of the site. No trace of a hearth was uncovered during excavation. A radiocarbon date of 1610±40 BC. was obtained from charcoal in the lower fill of the second trough.
24 Queen Street, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
