County: Laois Site name: Boherard 3
Sites and Monuments Record No.: - Licence number: A015/118, E2227
Author: Ed Danaher, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, 21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda.
Site type: Fulachta fiadh
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 633641m, N 684983m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.914633, -7.499810
This site was located within Contract 2 of the proposed M7 Portlaoise to Castletown/M8 Portlaoise to Cullahill motorway scheme and was identified during advance testing by Robert O’Hara (Excavations 2005, No. 859, A015/028). Full resolution occurred in July 2006 and revealed that Boherard 3 consisted of the remains of two separate fulachta fiadh, each situated on a low, naturally formed mound. The site was divided into two zones for ease of recording. Zone A contained fulacht fiadh No. 1 and comprised a spread of burnt-mound material, two subrectangular troughs and a circular pit. Zone B contained a spread of burnt-mound material, a subrectangular trough and two circular pits. A stream was present in close proximity to the site.
No artefacts were found in association with any of the features/deposits exposed on site. Soil samples currently await analysis, while five charcoal samples are to be dispatched for radiocarbon analysis.
