County: Louth Site name: Area 9/55, Kilcurly
Sites and Monuments Record No.: - Licence number: 06E0141
Author: Jo Ronayne, ADS Ltd, Windsor House, 11 Fairview Strand, Dublin 3.
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 700412m, N 807611m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.007955, -6.468130
Testing was conducted at Area 9/55 in advance of construction works on the south–north gas pipeline on 6 March 2006. Testing was based on the results of the EIS and geophysical survey. Area 9/55 is located in Kilcurly townland, Co. Louth, and is in the vicinity of LH007–058, described as a mound. Area 55 was identified in the EIS as a possible souterrain noted to the west of the pipeline’s route. Two souterrains, both of which were subsequently destroyed, have been found in the immediate vicinity of this site. The test area was located on the south slope of a drumlin, just above a marsh.
Nothing of archaeological significance was uncovered in Trench 1. Trench 2 contained an oval-shaped spread of grey/black material with charcoal and heat-affected stones. A small extension trench (3m by 2m) was excavated to find the extent of the feature. The spread measuring 8m by 3m and 0.08m deep was identified as a possible burnt mound/
fulacht fiadh site. The feature was located at the top of a south-facing slope close to the western limit of the pipeline corridor.
