2005:665 - BALLYLONGANE, Kerry

Test excavations were undertaken in relation to a single dwelling and associated access road at Ballylongane, Ballyheigue, Co. Kerry. The proposed development site comprised two linear strip fields, orientated north–south and overlooking Ballyheigue Bay to the south: Field 1 (south) and Field 2 (north). Two archaeological monuments are located within the boundary of the site: a levelled enclosure in the north-western corner of Field 2, SMR 14:53, and a series of fortifications on the western and southern side of Field 1 which are marked on the first- and second-edition editions of the OS map and annotated ‘The Bone Fortifications (in ruins)’, SMR 14:54. These comprise the foundations of two rectangular enclosures in the western section of Field 2 and a circular enclosure consisting of earth and stone banks in the south-east portion of the field. A number of earthen banks are also located in the vicinity. It is thought that the name ‘Bone’ may be derived from ‘Bawn’ or bodhun, which means cattle enclosure. The date of ‘The Bone Fortifications’ is not known, though it probably relates to post-medieval and possibly even medieval activity. The extant remains of the ‘Bone’ today comprise irregular low-level earthen remains, none of which are manifest above c. 0.6m.

Three test-trenches were opened by track machine utilising a 1.5m-wide flat ditching bucket. Trench 1 was located in Field 1 and exposed archaeological deposits. Trenches 2 and 3 were in Field 2 and were archaeologically sterile.

Trench 1 was placed to target the proposed access road leading from the coast road in the south, northwards through Field 1 towards Field 2. This trench measured 140m long by 1.5m wide and was an average 0.3–0.35m in depth. Two of the extant embankments of the fortification, orientated east–west, in the southern portion of the field were in the line of Trench 1 and when topsoil was removed from them associated archaeological deposits were exposed. The embankments are manifest as c. 0.3m high banks barely visible in the field. The deposit related to the southern bank was recorded as Feature 1, the northern bank Feature 2.

The bank in which Feature 1 was situated was 8m from the southern field boundary of the site. The exposed deposit measured 9m north–south and was a blackish-brown silt with moderate small stones and pebbles, moderate flecks and small chunks of charcoal and one piece of burnt bone. The depth of topsoil over Feature 1 was 0.25m. The bank in which Feature 2 was located was 20.2m north of the first bank. The exposed deposit measured 2.3m north–south and was a blackish-brown silt with moderate small stones and pebbles and moderate flecks and small chunks of charcoal. A small number of limpets was noted at the surface.

Only three artefacts were recovered. These include: a corroded metal object from Feature 1 in Trench 1 that has been tentatively interpreted as the possible remains of the shank of a bayonet from its overall morphology, a rim sherd of post-medieval brown-glazed earthenware pottery from Feature 2 in Trench 1 and a portion of a coarse broken sandstone rotary quern from the northern end of Trench 1.

Apart from the two embankments relating to the fortification SMR 14:54, no other archaeological features were present in Trench 1. Feature 1, Trench 1, clearly relates to the southernmost embankment of the fortification recorded on the first- and second-edition OS maps. The second embankment encountered, however, recorded here as Feature 2, is not represented on the OS maps, although it is currently manifest as a c. 0.25m-high bank running east–west across the site similar to the southernmost embankment.

3 Lios na Lohart, Tralee, Co. Kerry