2006:1040 - Site AR45, Islands, Kilkenny

An excavation was carried out in September and October 2006 in advance of the construction of the M8/N8 Cullahill to Cashel road improvement scheme. Prior assessment and centreline test-trenching was carried out in 2005 by Colm Moriarty (Excavations 2005, No. 790, A027/014). This site was located north of Urlingford, c. 100m west of the River Goul. One large spread was revealed, with its southern extremity badly disturbed by a series of linear features, probably furrows, cutting across the top. The spread was located on poor marshy and peaty soil that was susceptible to flooding due to its proximity to a natural spring. The mound consisted of a compact black sandy silt with frequent burnt stone and charcoal that measured 15.5m east–west by 17m. A modern field boundary ran over the centre of the mound, with modern fence posts being driven through the centre, which caused stratigraphical disturbance.
The mound had a depth of 0.37m and did not produce any trough directly under the main spread. However, located to the west on the perimeter of the spread three small pits were recorded. The fills of these pits were all identical to each other and to the burnt-mound material. The first pit was oval in shape and measured 0.9m by 0.65m and 0.22m in depth, the second was subcircular and measured 0.92m by 0.65m 0.18m in depth and the last pit was circular in shape and measured 0.9m by 0.8m and 0.1m in depth. As no trough was identified under the burnt mound, it is possible that these pits may have been used in a similar manner to a trough but on a smaller scale and on a seasonal or intermittent basis.