County: Mayo Site name: BALLINA
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E0952
Author: Sue Zajac, Ballina Civic Offices, Mayo County Council, Dillon Terrace, Ballina, Co. Mayo.
Site type: Fulacht fiadh
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 524479m, N 819049m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.114948, -9.155069
Mayo County Council are building a relief road to feed traffic through the western environs of Ballina town. During monitoring for assessment purposes, a spread of burnt stone and charcoal was uncovered in a low-lying area adjacent to a dried-out pond. The deposit was shallow and disturbed and was spread over a wide area.
Excavations over a three-week period uncovered the remains of two troughs cut into subsoil underlying the burnt material. Each trough had a second, shallow cut beside it that seemed to be associated and may have functioned for storage. One of these cuts was kidney-shaped in plan.
The first excavated trough was oval in plan and showed evidence of having been recut and enlarged. A second trough at a distance of c. 25m from the first was rectangular in plan with a wooden plank lining and a post-hole in each corner. It may be possible to date the site using charcoal from the trough fills that are presently being analysed. No small finds were uncovered.
