County: Tipperary Site name: Lackenavea (Dunalley) and Lackenavea (Egremont)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A026/028; A026/043; A026/051; E2486
Author: Patricia Long, Headland Archaeology Ltd, Unit 1 Wallingstown Business Park. Little Island, Cork.
Site type: Various
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 571995m, N 667699m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.759618, -8.414897
Archaeological investigation in advance of the N7 Nenagh to Limerick high-quality dual carriageway road project was carried out at Lackenavea (Dunalley) and Lackenavea (Egremont) between mid-October and early November 2006. The site comprised four areas (encompassing A026/028, A026/043, and A026/051 respectively).
A026/028 Lackenavea (Egremont)
A number of shallow irregular pits and deposits, some of which contained charcoal flecking, were excavated on this site. These included a sub-oval pit measuring 0.9m long by 0.65m wide and 0.27m deep, and a roughly circular pit measuring 0.7m in diameter and 0.3m deep. Both these pits were filled with sandy silt with a moderate amount of small stone inclusions. Charcoal flecking was identified in an irregular pit measuring 1.26m long by 0.2m wide and 0.2m deep as well as in an oval pit measuring 0.7m long by 0.6m wide and 0.3m deep. Several other irregular features were also investigated, some of which contained charcoal flecking. It is likely that these features were related to land clearance and other agricultural activity which is as yet undated.
A026/043 (Lackenavea Dunalley)
A number of pits and deposits containing occasional charcoal inclusions were excavated on this site. The features were all irregular in shape and no deeper than 0.3m. It is likely that some of these features were related to land clearance and other agricultural activity which is as yet undated. Before the excavation a large boulder within the site was deemed to have archaeological potential, but upon investigation it was revealed to be a natural feature.
A026/051(i) (Lackenavea Dunalley/Egremont)
This site was located in a waterlogged boggy area and was bordered by a stream which appears to have been widened in modern times. Two infilled streambeds were identified during excavation; these merged and were linked to the existing stream. The remainder of the features identified represented activity typical of a fulacht fiadh. A spread of heat-shattered stone and charcoal measuring 6.5m long by 5.8m wide and 0.21m deep was identified in the north-east of the site. It was truncated by a modern drain on its southern end. This spread was overlying an irregular pit (1.8m long by 1.4m wide and 0.3m deep) which may have functioned as a trough.
A second spread of burnt-mound material was identified c. 20m to the south-west. It measured 14.9m by 12.2m and 0.15m deep. It was located on the sloping bank of one of the infilled streambeds. An irregular pit which may have functioned as a trough was identified beneath this spread; it measured 1.18m long by 0.62m wide and 0.09m deep. A number of smaller pits were also associated with this spread.
In the area between the two main mounds, three intersecting pits which were filled with burnt-mound material were identified. Overall this activity occupied an area measuring 3.36m long by 1.81m wide.
A026/051 (ii) Lackenavea (Egremont)
No features of archaeological significance were discovered in this area.
No artefacts were recovered during the excavation of E2486.
Editor’s note: Although excavated during 2006, the report on this site arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.
