2006:283 - STONEVIEW, BLARNEY, Cork

A programme of archaeological investigations was carried out in advance of a large residential development to the north-east of Blarney village. There are thirteen RMP sites within the proposed development area. There is now no visible trace of six fulachta fiadh and the site of a stone row located within the former Blarney golf-course, constructed in the 1990s. No archaeological investigation was carried out at the time of construction. Three monuments on the site, including two mounds of field-clearance material and a rock outcrop known locally as the ‘Fairy Queen Grave’, have been designated as non-archaeological by the Cork Archaeological Survey. A geophysical survey of all the remaining monuments within the development site was carried out by Target Geophysics (06R0070) and identified potential archaeological remains of only one of the recorded monuments (CO062–199, a levelled fulacht fiadh).
Two programmes of test-trenching were carried out in all areas to be impacted on by the proposed development. Phase I identified the remains of thirteen features of potential archaeological origin. Phase II identified the remains of a further 28 features, including the disturbed remains of fulachta fiadh noted within the zone of potential archaeological potential for sites CO062–192, CO062–211 and CO062–212 and the relatively intact remains of fulachta fiadh at sites CO062–199 (identified by geophysics) and CO062–213. Nothing of an archaeological nature was identified during testing of the remaining RMP sites within the development.
Excavation of the features to be impacted on by the infrastructural element of the development was carried out over fourteen weeks. Five areas were opened. The majority of features excavated in Areas 1, 2 and 4 were non-archaeological in origin. Two heat-shattered stone spreads, separated by a stream, were identified in Area 3. Excavation of the spread north of the stream exposed an earth-cut trough (1.2m by 2m) cut by a later stone-lined rectangular trough (0.6–1.1m by 4.42m, 0.22m deep). A hearth site (0.9m by 0.5m, 0.18m deep), set within a rough stone kerb to the south of the troughs, was associated with the earlier trough. Two further hearths were identified. South of the stream an area of compacted stones (c. 7.5m by 2.5m) formed a trackway of probable 19th-century date. Excavation of the southerly spread of heat-shattered stone exposed two subcircular troughs (1.8m by 2m; 1.2m by 1.8m). A cluster of close-set post-holes was exposed close to one of the troughs.
The removal of a large spread of heat-shattered stone in Area 5 exposed seven cut features, which included troughs, a roasting pit and a possible shelter. Post-holes along two sides of a shallow subrectangular feature (1.6m by 2.4m) cut into the slope of the hill suggest use as a shelter. Stake-holes within an oval cut (2.2m by 3.65m) with an oxidised base may have been for a spit. A circular pit (c. 1.3m diameter) with an oxidised base may have been for roasting. Two, of four, troughs were rectangular (c. 2.3m by 1.3m). The remaining two were irregularly shaped cuts. All were filled with a deposit of charcoal-enriched heat-shattered stone. A small area of burnt bone post-dated the fulacht fiadh features.