County: Laois Site name: Oldglass 3
Sites and Monuments Record No.: - Licence number: A015/108, E2217
Author: Tara O’Neill, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
Site type: Fulacht fiadh
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 634643m, N 678815m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.859139, -7.485573
This site was excavated in March 2006 as part of the programme of resolution of archaeological sites on the route of the proposed M7 Portlaoise to Castletown/M8 Portlaoise to Cullahill motorway scheme. The work was carried out on behalf of Laois County Council and the National Roads Authority.
The site consisted of a fulacht fiadh with four associated troughs. Seven spreads of burnt stone were spread over the site. Two associated pits were also excavated. Trough 1 was subcircular in shape and measured 1.7m in diameter by 0.34m in depth. It was filled with heat-shattered sandstone. Trough 2 was oblong in shape and measured 1.08m by 0.65m by 0.43m in depth. It was filled with silty sand and heat-shattered sandstone. Trough 3 was sub-oval in shape and measured 1.19m by 0.77m by 0.74m in depth. It was filled with layers of clay, silt, heat-shattered sandstone and charcoal. Trough 4 was circular in shape with a diameter of 0.94m by 0.32m in depth. It was filled with layers of clay and heat-shattered sandstone.
The first pit was subcircular in shape and measured 2.02m by 2.54m by 0.25m in depth. It was filled with charcoal and heat-shattered sandstone. The second pit was circular in shape and measured 0.29m by 0.24m by 0.42m in depth. It was filled with charcoal and heat-shattered sandstone.
Samples from this site are currently undergoing analysis.
