2006:AD15 - CLOONCOE AND ERREW, Leitrim

Excavation of a disturbed burnt-mound feature took place outside the east wall of Lough Rynn House on 11–27 October 2006. The feature had been uncovered during monitoring of topsoil removal before the construction of a road associated with the redevelopment of the grounds. After an initial clean-up and trowel, the site was half-sectioned. The burnt-mound material (heat-shattered stone in a charcoal-enriched silt matrix) was less than 0.1m deep and very washed out. There were no discrete pieces of charcoal of any size. A possible trough feature was found in the west of the site. This was cut into the clay but had been truncated by a culvert running north-east/south-west along the north of the site. The trough was further truncated by a modern drain along the boundary wall of the house. There was no evidence of a lining to the trough.

A modern drain ran along the east of the site in a north–south direction. To the east of the drain, up to the limit of excavation, there was an area of natural clay with several flint inclusions. None of the flint pieces were worked. A chert arrowhead was recovered from this area. As the arrowhead was not found within burnt-mound material or in a secure related feature, it cannot directly date the site.

There were not sufficient quantities of charcoal to attempt 14C dating. However, this fulacht is only one of five excavated in the area arising out of Phase 2 of the development. Several prehistoric features, including possible house sites, pits and burnt spreads, were also discovered during Phase 1 and excavated by Christopher Read (Excavations 2004, No. 966, 04E1141). The archaeological investigations associated with this development have shown the area around Lough Rynn to have been the site of extensive prehistoric activity.

Unit 3, Howley Court, Oranmore, Co. Galway