County: Kilkenny Site name: Raheenarran
Sites and Monuments Record No.: KK035–015 Licence number: 06E1027
Author: Emma Devine, for Kilkenny Archaeology, Unit 11, Abbey Business Centre, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny.
Site type: Burnt mound/enclosure
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 646430m, N 631018m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.428686, -7.317275
The RMP files describe this enclosure site as a small circular feature with a maximum diameter of c. 25m showing on aerial photographs. The site is located to the south of a small triangular field (the proposed development area), with a slight south-facing slope bounded by a spring and a small stream to the south at Raheenarran, Kilmoganny. The land in the area has been reclaimed; there is no surface trace of the site.
Potential archaeological materials were uncovered during testing in the footprint of the proposed development. A spread of burnt material was uncovered in two of the test-trenches; the full extent of the feature was not uncovered, but it appeared to be confined to a curving band consistent with a curving ditch. It is very likely to be the enclosure noted in the aerial survey referred to above. No conclusive dating evidence was recovered. The burnt material itself was consistent with that of burnt-mound or fulacht fiadh activity and its position beside a stream on reclaimed land would have been an ideal location for this type of prehistoric site. It is possible that the curve represents the remains of a horseshoe-shaped burnt mound or a later enclosure excavated through a burnt mound. It was recommended the development be moved further northwards away from the area of archaeological potential and a 20m buffer zone be maintained around it.
