County: Kilkenny Site name: AR106, Rathcash East
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A032/137; E3861
Author: Tim Coughlan, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Wicklow.
Site type: Metalworking activity
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 659733m, N 654690m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.640136, -7.117427
This site was located within the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road scheme along Contract 2, Phase 4B, Knocktopher to Powerstown, on a slight rise on well-drained gravelly soils. Ten pits were identified at this site, most of which contained metal slag and charcoal and exhibited signs of in situ burning. The largest of the pits measured 5.3m by 2.1m and had a maximum depth of 0.72m. The deepest part of the cut and the southern edge of the pit exhibited in situ burning. The pit contained eighteen fills, most of which contained charcoal and some slag. There were six other pits within 2m to the south of the large pit, with the remainder scattered across the site. Analysis of the metal slag along with dating of charcoal obtained from the site will hopefully provide a date for the archaeological remains, which may represent medieval metalworking in the area.
