County: Sligo Site name: TONAFORTES (Site 1G)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 03E1414
Author: Susan McCabe, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Burnt spread
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 568739m, N 832823m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.243312, -8.479602
The remains of a fulacht fiadh were recorded south of Sligo town during testing by Mary Henry Ltd. As part of the resolution of archaeology prior to construction of the proposed Sligo Inner Relief Road, excavation of this site was undertaken.
A deposit measuring 8m north-south by 11.5m was exposed. On further investigation, it was revealed that, while fulacht material was present, no in situ deposits or cuts were evident. The maximum depth of deposit was 0.28m and the material had been redeposited following machine activity in the recent past. The material proved extensively disturbed, with rotting organic material and pungent grey sandy clay mixed with the fulacht material. No samples were suitable for analysis, due to this high level of disturbance.
This project was funded by the Irish government under the National Development Plan 2000–2006.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
