2004:0864 - BALLYMOUNTAIN, Kilkenny

Waterford City Council proposes to construct an 18km bypass around Waterford city, with associated link roads. The route forms part of the N25 and runs from Kilmeaden in Co. Waterford to Slieverue in Co. Kilkenny. Work was undertaken at Site 6 in the townland of Ballymountain, Co. Kilkenny, as part of pre-construction investigations of the N25 Waterford bypass, Contract 3. On this site, testing by Dave Pollock identified a possible archaeological feature (Excavations 2002, No. 1032, 02E0196). Full resolution was carried out in April 2004. The National Roads Authority through Waterford City Council administered the total archaeological cost.

Following topsoil-stripping one curvilinear feature was identified, running from the east edge of the area to the south. It was c. 1.3m wide and 0.37m deep. The profile was generally U-shaped but irregular and the sides ranged from near vertical to gradually sloping. The base was generally flat. The fill was 80% medium to large angular and sub-angular stones and 20% mid-brown silty clay. A further eleven test-trenches were excavated in an attempt to establish the course of the linear feature. It did not show up in the trenches.

Within one of the test-trenches an isolated pit was identified. This contained three fills, the middle fill being a very thin layer of compact charcoal. It is likely that this pit was the product of a single episode of burning, which possibly took place in situ, as the lower fill had slight traces of oxidised clay.

The linear feature was interpreted as a rubble-filled drain and the isolated pit of unknown date was possibly a single fire. None of these features appears to be associated with a nearby fulacht fiadh (see No. 865, Excavations 2004, 04E0331).

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