2005:917 - SHANBOE (5), Laois

Testing was carried out before the construction of the M7 Portlaoise–Castletown/M8 Portlaoise–Cullahill Motorway Scheme. In March 2005, during centre-line testing of Contract 2, Testing Area 14, carried out by Linda Clarke (No. 912, Excavations 2005), the ploughed-out remains of a burnt stone spread and two associated pits were identified in Field 478 (Plot 117). The site was designated Shanboe 5 and was excavated between 7 September and 4 October. An area measuring 25m by 25m was stripped of topsoil by mechanical excavator to a depth of c. 0.4m.

The site comprised a D-shaped burnt mound (F4) adjacent to the line of a small stream, measuring 15m (north-west/south-east) by 6m and up to 0.4m deep. A trough was located below the F4 burnt mound, measuring 2.7m (north–south) by 1.8m and 0.8m deep. The fill was black charcoal-enriched clay containing burnt stones. There were a number of smaller outlying features, including a hearth measuring 1.2m by 0.65m and 0.05m deep, with oxidised edging and charcoal-enriched fill. A possible hut site was identified next to the hearth. The feature was delineated by a formation of fifteen stake-holes. In outline the structure was 3.5m long (east–west) by 1.5m wide. A separate burnt stone spread was located at the south-west corner of the site, measuring 3.1m by 2.5m and up to 0.1m deep. A pit was located adjacent to this spread, measuring 1.7m by 1.1m and 0.6m deep. The fill was loose black silt containing heat-shattered stone and charcoal. Another pit, also at the south-west corner of the site, measuring 1.6m by 1.1m and 0.26m deep, contained a large quantity of charcoal in the lower fill. The archaeological material represents the levelled remains of an ancient cooking site, or fulacht fiadh.

Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth