County: Kilkenny Site name: CASTLETOWN: Galmoy Mines
Sites and Monuments Record No.: KK003–004 Licence number: 06E0298
Author: John O’Connor, ADS Ltd.
Site type: Fulachta fia
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 626935m, N 671979m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.798136, -7.600594
Monitoring was conducted at Galmoy Mines, Co. Kilkenny, from 5 April until 24 May 2006. The development consists of the excavation of a third tailings pond and topsoil removal in the ‘Borrow’ area. Three areas of archaeological significance were identified during the monitoring works. All three sites consisted of burnt spreads, or fulachta fiadh.
Site 1 consisted of an area of burnt stones and ash deposits surrounding a central trough that sat within a bowl-shaped depression in the ground. The site covers an area of c. 18m by c. 19m. Numerous satellite features were also revealed.
Site 2 is located 35m to the west of Site 1 and consists of a central dark spread of burnt and fire-shattered stones surrounded by a larger spread of ash-like material and scatterings of burnt stones. The central area measures c. 4m by 5m, while the entire site measures c. 19m by 20m. The spread appears to be only c. 0.1m thick. Some possible satellite features are located to the west of the central spread.
Site 3 is located c. 170m to the north of Sites 1 and 2 and consists of the semicircular remains of a larger burnt spread. The site has been destroyed to the west by the insertion of a drainage ditch, which appears to have been in place for some time. The remains of the site spread over an area of c. 5m by 10m. The spread appears to be only c. 0.05–0.1m deep. There do not appear to be any associated features surrounding the spread.
All three sites were recorded and preserved in situ after consultation with and the agreement of representatives of Arcon Mines Ltd and the staff of the Department of the Environment and Local Government.
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