County: Kerry Site name: GARRAUNDARRAGH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E0646
Author: Niamh O'Callaghan, for Eachtra Archaeological Projects.
Site type: Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 493023m, N 608004m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.213411, -9.565440
As part of the road improvement scheme on the N22 between Gortatlea and Farranfore, Co. Kerry, the remains of a fulacht fiadh were recorded in a test-trench in the townland of Garraundarragh. The feature is not a classic fulacht fiadh but was interpreted as the remains of a mound that was disturbed by land reclamation and the digging of drainage ditches and cultivation furrows.
The remains were roughly oval in plan and composed of dark-brown/black friable silt with burnt, coarse, angular small stones. The layer was located in a shallow hollow and was deepest towards the centre, c. 0.4–0.45m.
There was one cut feature recorded below the black layer, tentatively interpreted as a trough, although it was not full of typical fulacht material. It was sub-circular in plan with vertical sides and a flat base, and measured 0.98m by 0.95m by 0.5m deep. There were two fills recorded; the lower fill was waterlogged and composed of dark-grey/brown peaty silt with coarse small, unburnt stones; the upper fill was composed of dark-grey/black peaty silt with a small amount of unburnt coarse stones.
Three land drains truncated the remains of the fulacht mound; these were deemed to be relatively recent features.
Sandy Lane, Barrow, Ardfert, Co. Kerry
