County: Carlow Site name: JOHNSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E002575
Author: Linda Hegarty, Headland Archaeology Ltd.
Site type: Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 677768m, N 676864m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.837109, -6.845753
The site was excavated as part of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford scheme: Kilcullen to Powerstown. It was situated on flat land directly north of the R726, the Carlow to Hacketstown road, in the vicinity of a zone of archaeological potential of a castle site (CW007–029(01)). A graveyard and bullaun stone (CW007–017(01, 02)) were identified two fields south-west and Ardnehue church site (CW008–001) was situated directly east. Excavation revealed the presence of two burnt mounds and associated features, including wood-lined troughs and pits.
The larger burnt mound was located towards the south of the site and was partially situated beyond the extent of the road corridor. Within the site it measured 21.4m by 19m and 1.2m deep. It yielded a Bann flake. Excavation revealed the presence of five troughs, three of which had evidence for timber lining, a number of pits and two gullies all located below the mound.
The second burnt mound was situated towards the north end of the site. It measured 10.5m by 10.3m and 0.3m deep. Excavation revealed a timber-lined trough and two pits underlying the mound. A third fulacht fiadh site (see No. 185, Excavations 2006, E2576) was situated 30m north along the route of the road corridor.
Unit 1, Wallingstown Business Park, Little Island, Cork
