2010:730 - Carrigeen, Wexford

Carrigeen 1 was located on the proposed M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme. The site was situated in pasture.
The sequence of activity began with the construction of a trough, sub-oval with steep stepped sides and a flat base. The trough was 3m long, 2.1m wide and 0.35–0.78m deep. The stepped base of the trough was cut by twelve stake-holes containing similar fills of soft, dark-grey/black silty clay with occasional charcoal. These stake-holes presumably supported a structure within the trough such as a windbreak. The trough contained eight fills. The primary fill was a firm light to medium grey sand and sandy clay with burnt stones and occasional charcoal flecks and pieces, more evident at the lower levels of the fill. The secondary fill was a firm, light to medium grey sandy to silty clay with patches of yellow redeposited natural, burnt stones and occasional charcoal. The tertiary fill was soft to firm dark-grey/black silty clay and burnt stones with frequent charcoal flecks. The fourth fill was soft medium brown and dark-grey slightly clayish sand with frequent amounts of very small burnt stones and occasional to moderate amounts of charcoal flecks. The fifth fill was soft, light-brown/yellow silty to sandy clay. The sixth fill was firm, dark-grey/black sandy silty clay with burnt stones with frequent amounts of charcoal. The seventh fill was soft, medium brown to dark-grey/black slightly clayish sand with moderate amounts of small burnt stones. The eighth and final fill was a firm, medium grey to light-grey sandy to silty clay with burnt stones with occasional charcoal flecks and pieces.
Four stake-holes were located north of the trough, presumably representing another windbreak or fence. These stake-holes all contained a soft, black to grey/dark-grey fill of burnt-stone-type material in the upper part of the fill and silty clay at the bottom with charcoal and moderate stone inclusions.
A burnt-stone spread overlay the trough and stake-holes. The spread had a lower deposit of loose dark-black/grey silty sand with heat-shattered stone, occasional charcoal and pebbles and an upper deposit of loose dark-brown/grey silty sand with heat-shattered stone and occasional charcoal and pebbles.
Eight other features including pits, post-holes and other stake-holes were located beyond the burnt-stone spread, and may be associated. The pits were circular or oval with varied profiles. One of the pits contained heat-shattered stone.
A linear palaeochannel extended beyond the limit of excavation. This feature had a measurable length of 20m and was 1.5–2.1m wide and 0.5m deep. The palaeochannel had a gradual break of slope top and base and a flat base. Three fills were recorded: grey silty clay with occasional small stones, overlain with grey clay with a few small stones, and an upper fill of black silty clay with heat-cracked stones.