2005:075 - BUSHERSTOWN, Carlow

This report deals with the results of testing of Area 2 of Archaeological Services Contract 3, N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford Scheme: Kilcullen to Powerstown. Area 2 ran from Russellstown to Moyle Big townlands. Fourteen areas of archaeological significance were identified (Sites 1–14: A021/016–29, see Nos 54 and 70–74 above and Nos 76–78 and 97–100 below). This site at Busherstown comprised two separate features, a fulacht fiadh trough and a possible Bronze Age burial, located c. 30m apart in Busherstown townland. Both features were located within the centre-line trench of the proposed route. The fulacht fiadh trough was located c. 270m south of the northern boundary of the field and comprised a broadly rectangular feature, c. 2.8m long (north–south) and 1.6m wide, which was filled by a deposit of heat-shattered stones and charcoal. The cut had steeply sloping edges on all sides. The topsoil over the feature was dark-brown/black in colour, but no trace of the original mound survived. This field is routinely subject to intensive ploughing and it is possible that this activity truncated all but the more substantial negative features at the site.
A possible Bronze Age burial pit was uncovered along the centre-line c. 30m south of the fulacht fiadh trough. This was circular in shape and measured 0.5m east–west by 0.45m. The fill comprised dark-brown sandy clay with much charcoal. Initial cleaning of the feature produced a rim sherd of highly decorated Bronze Age funerary ware and consequently no further excavation of the pit was undertaken. It is estimated, however, that ploughing activities on the site may have significantly truncated the remains at this location.