2006:1042 - Site AR47, Islands, Kilkenny

An excavation was carried out in 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. 30m west of the River Goul. Excavation revealed a burnt mound that extended to the east beyond the road. The mound was truncated by a modern field drain and a modern pit and measured 13.5m (north–south) by 19m by 0.46m in depth. It was composed of a black sandy silt with broken angular burnt stone, and there were no pits or troughs identified, only a series of naturally filled hollows with spread material and modern disturbances. Approximately 2m north of the edge of the burnt mound was a sub-oval pit, rounded on one end and pointed on the other, that measured 2.35m (north–south) by 1.81m and 0.14m in depth with vertical sides and a flat base. The pit contained c. twelve post/stake-holes around the perimeter base, which may have acted as a support to the sides of the pit. There was a collection of three and four stake-holes in both the south-east and south-west corners, indicating a recurring attempt to insert the stakes into the poor gravel soil or alternatively grouped together to give a greater support in these corners.