2007:200 - Ballinglanna North 1, Cork

Phase 2 excavation works were undertaken along the route of the N8 Fermoy–Mitchelstown bypass on behalf of Cork County Council. The proposed bypass involves the construction of c. 16km of dual carriageway extending from Gortore, north of Fermoy, to Carrigane, north-east of Mitchelstown. A programme of advance testing (Phase 1) had been carried out in October 2005.
The site at Ballinglanna North 1 lies immediately north of Glencorra Bridge. The site comprised a post-medieval structure, a habitation area, a drainage system, a ditch, a metalworking area, two large pits and a fulacht fiadh/burnt mound. The site measured 95m north–south by 60m.
Probably the earliest phase of activity at the site was the fulacht fiadh/burnt mound, which was located at the west of the site, at the base of the slope of the river valley. An extensive amount of burnt-mound material covered a number of impressive features including a large trough which measured 2.2m long by 1.4m wide. Post-holes, stake-holes and a water management system/gully were associated with the trough. The water management system/gully was recut several times, indicating a lengthy period of use. The fulacht fiadh/burnt mound was truncated by the ditch to the east and by the structure to the south.
The next phase of activity in this area was the ditch, which truncated the fulacht fiadh/burnt mound and was in turn truncated by the later post-medieval structure. It ran from north to south and was c. 65m long and 4m wide. Sections through the ditch indicated that it was filled by a large amount of metal slag. This indicates that it was possibly related to a nearby metalworking area, which comprised a group of pits and linear features. All of the pits contained iron slag and charcoal, but there was no evidence of in situ burning. No hearth or fire pit was discovered relating to the primary metalworking processes. Finds from this area included burnt bone, metal objects and pottery.
It is possible that two large pits that lay to the extreme west of the site were also associated with metalworking, and the primary fills indicated in situ burning. However, although these were in close proximity to the metalworking area, only a small quantity of slag material was recovered and this was only from the later fills of the pits.
One of the latest features at the site was a post-medieval drystone structure. This measured 7.7m long and 4.9m wide and lay in the south-west corner of the site, c. 10m from Glencorra Bridge. The structure survived to three courses on the northern and western walls but only the foundations of the southern and eastern walls were still visible. The structure truncated the earlier fulacht fiadh/burnt mound to the north and the north–south running ditch to the east. Finds recovered from the interior indicated a post-medieval date. This date and the structure’s proximity to Glencorra Bridge possibly indicate that its function was related to bridge construction. A series of drains ran east–west, from the high to low ground. The finds from the drains included post-medieval pottery and clay pipes and these may also be linked to the construction of the bridge.
A small group of stake-holes, post-holes and pits was identified as an isolated habitation area. This was found on the raised platform above the drainage features. Burnt-bone pieces were recovered from the fills of the majority of these features, but, as no stratigraphy or finds linked this area to the other archaeological features, there was no evidence to date this part of the site.