2011:311 - CLOONNAFINNEELA 1, Kerry

Excavation was undertaken at Cloonnafinneela 1 on behalf of Kerry County Council as part of Stage (iii) of the Archaeological Services Contract prior to the commencement of construction of the N69 Rea to Tullig realignment scheme, which extends from Fahavane townland to Gortclohy townland.
A total area of 328m² was exposed, revealing two phases of activity. The archaeological features identified in Phase I were related to iron-working and charcoal production, while Phase II was represented by post-medieval agricultural features.
The earliest activity found at the site (Phase I) related to iron-working and charcoal production. Cuttings A and B contained a possible hearth and a charcoal-production pit respectively. The hearth measured 1.25m north–south by 0.23m and was 0.04m deep. The base of the feature was lightly oxidised, suggesting burning in situ. The charcoal-production pit kiln measured 2.03m north-east/south-west by 1m by 0.09m deep. The base was heavily oxidised and it was filled with moderately compact charcoal in a matrix of silty sand.
Cutting C was located on the eastern side of the site, 35m from the charcoal-production pit. A dump of metal-working waste material was identified and was found to be overlying a small number of features.
A small rectangular pit was found close to the southern edge of the road-take and extended slightly beyond the limit of excavation. It measured 1.05m by 0.6m by 0.1m deep and contained much slag and charcoal and occasional furnace lining fragments and burnt stones. Part of a similar pit was also partially exposed within the excavation area. The exposed portion measured 0.9m by 0.3m by 0.14m deep and contained a similar fill.
A group of eight stake-holes was identified on the summit of the natural rise in the topography to the east of the pits described above. Six of these stake-holes were in a small oval arrangement. The other two were more isolated, 0.84m north-east of the rest.
The earliest deposits in the mound of metal-working waste were confined to a natural hollow in the topography. The two basal layers of the mound comprised stony sandy silt which included slag, small stones and charcoal. Both these deposits and all of the cut features on the summit of the rise were sealed beneath a mound of metal-working waste material. This mound was an irregular oval in plan, measuring 5.9m by 6m by 0.3m deep, and seemed to extend beyond the road-take to the south. It consisted of silty loam which was black with reddish mottling. It included many slag pieces of various sizes, furnace lining fragments, burnt clay, burnt stones and charcoal.
The second phase of activity at the site was post-medieval in date and related to agricultural practices such as ploughing and land drainage.

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