2008:253 - Kildrum 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 archaeological testing (Phase 1) had been carried out in October 2005, the results of which appeared in Excavations 2005.
A fulacht fiadh/burnt mound was excavated at Kildrum 1. The site comprised five troughs with numerous fills of burnt-mound material. The actual burnt mound survived only as two shallow layers. The remaining features excavated at the site included three post-holes, a tree bole, a pit, seven stake-holes and two drains. There were two unconnected layers of shattered stone located between 3m and 15m apart from the mound and the trough.
One layer of burnt-mound material covered an irregular area and it was truncated by a drain. It measured 6m long, 5.3m wide and 0.1m deep. The layer overlay two troughs. The second layer of burnt-mound material was C-shaped. It measured 5m long, 1.4m wide and 0.22m deep. It was truncated by a modern drain and was located in close proximity to a trough.
Two of the troughs were associated with stake- and post-holes; the base of one trough was cut by four stake-holes and the base of another was cut by three stake-holes and a post-hole. In both cases the stake-holes were situated around the basal edges of the troughs and were probably the remains of upright supports that held a trough lining in place. The post-hole was cut into the break of slope between the top and the basal edge of the trough; it was inserted at an oblique angle into the edge. The function of a post in this position is unclear.