County: Kildare Site name: DRINNANSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 05E0184
Author: Cóilín Ó Drisceoil, Kilkenny Archaeology, Threecastles, Kilkenny for Insight Archaeology, Kilkenny.
Site type: Prehistoric smelting furnaces and settlement
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 671535m, N 719579m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.221802, -6.928782
Excavation was undertaken on foot of a condition of planning permission for an extension to a Tarmak OveArkil Ltd stone quarry and following the recommendation of the National Monuments Section of the DoEHLG. The archaeological area was defined as a rough rectangle, 275m by 100m (max.), within which fourteen separate archaeological zones were identified. Much of this was uncovered during monitoring of topsoil-stripping by Ruth Eliot in September–October 2001 (Excavations 2001, No. 638, 01E0916). Two of these areas (Areas 1 and 2) were subsequently excavated by Ros Ó Maoldúin and found to have been an Early Bronze Age structure and a series of pits (Excavations 2002, No. 906, 02E0343, and No. 907, 02E1371).
The site straddles the south and west sides of Boston Hill, overlooking a valley framed by the dramatic setting of Dunmurry Hill and the Hill of Allen.
Phase 1 consisted of three long, wide linear cuts, which contained no diagnostic finds apart from one sherd of local medieval pottery. They are reminiscent of the nearby cursus monument on the Curragh. It is hoped that radiocarbon determination can provide some clarity on the nature of the features.
In Phase 2, the earliest diagnostic artefacts recovered were cordoned urn sherds within the remains of a hearth, which may be related to a corn-drying kiln and a series of nearby pits.
Bowl furnaces, smithing hearths and pits, which may be dated to the Iron Age, formed part of what is probably a wider area of activity (that ran outside the development area) in Phase 3. Radiocarbon dates are awaited to determine a date.
