County: Limerick Site name: Sallymount
Sites and Monuments Record No.: - Licence number: A026/020, E2308
Author: Aidan Harte, Aegis Archaeology Ltd, 32 Nicholas Street, King’s Island, Limerick.
Site type: Fulacht fiadh
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 566371m, N 660263m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.692463, -8.497453
The remains of a burnt-mound feature were identified as part of test-trenching the proposed N7 route in early 2006. This trench was opened on a south-facing slope of poorly drained pastureland. The site comprised a central spread of burnt material (3.7m north–south by 3.8m), which had an average thickness of 0.1m. This spread survived on the crest of an east–west ridge midway along the slope. Therefore, immediately upslope from this ridge, a natural depression formed a pool of water, which would have served the fulacht fiadh. Beneath the main spread a single circular trough was uncovered. This contained two fills: the upper fill was similar to fulacht material, although it appeared leached, while the lower fill was darker silty clay. The trough consisted of a circular cut, 1.5m in diameter and 0.5m deep, with almost vertical, slightly concave sides. The flat base had four stake-holes cut into it along the western edge and these were all filled with more organic material.
A second, smaller spread of burnt material was located on the south side of the ridge. This overlay a deposit of grey leached fulacht material. Below this spread, the natural subsoil of the ridge had been cut into along an east–west line to form a ‘step’. This may have been an attempt to level this area, although no other features were found.
Seemingly, some peat formation had been under way prior to activity at this site and this was evidenced by in situ burnt material overlying peat in places. This was very apparent downslope, but there was also support for later soil processes. No finds were recovered during excavation, but all contexts were bulk sampled.
