2007:746 - BALLYMOUNT, Kildare

This site was excavated as part of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford scheme, Phase 3: Kilcullen to Carlow. An area 30m by 30m was originally stripped but this was extended at a later date. A fulacht fiadh was identified during the testing but during excavation three different areas of activity were discovered.

The fulacht fiadh consisted of a spread with a circular trough, with a circle of 40 stake-holes in the base of the trough. The trough was dug into the slope and above it was a possible water storage trough.

To the north of the fulacht fiadh were a number of shallow pits, which looked natural in appearance but which contained a number of worked flints and flint debitage. One pit in particular contained a large number of flints.

The eastern area of the site was where most of the activity occurred. A large area of habitation was uncovered, measuring 15m east–west by 5m, made up of many layers of occupation debris. There was no cut but the material seems to have built up in a natural shallow depression. Most of the layers contained charcoal, some contained burnt clay, others contained pottery and some contained large amounts of flint. In one part of this area there was a possible circular cut, 5m in diameter, which surrounded a cut containing a crouched inhumation. The pit contained a scraper and some decorated pottery along with the skeleton. It is presumed that these were all layers of occupation or some sort of industrial debris, but there was no structure surrounding the area. It seems that the natural depression on the side of a gravel ridge was used for the settlement.

Many high-quality worked flints were found within the layers. A flint knife, chert arrowhead, leaf-shaped arrowhead and several flint scrapers were found and a polished stone axe was found within a small pit. A large amount of decorated pottery was also found.

Wallingstown Business Park, Little Island, Cork