2011:313 - DROMAVALLY 1, Kerry

Excavations were undertaken at Dromavally 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 N22 Tralee Bypass/Tralee to Bealagrellagh, which extends from Lissatanvally townland to Flemby townland. The site consisted of two cuttings, Dromavally 1a and 1b. Dromavally 1b measured 25m² but upon excavation the potential features proved to be non-archaeological.
Dromavally 1a consisted of an area of approximately 100m², with a later extension of 40m² excavated at the north-eastern corner of the site. Excavation revealed evidence of two phases of activity. The first phase of the site consisted of two kilns, a series of intercutting waste pits and a series of post-holes constituting a small structure.
The first kiln, located to the west of the site, measured 3.97m by 1.91m and had a maximum depth of 0.54m. It had a dumb-bell shape in plan and was aligned on a north–south axis, with the deep firing area downslope at the southern end. The flue, which sloped from north to south, widened at the northern end to a shallower chamber. At the base of the chamber were two ventilation channels arranged in a cross shape. These are typical of limekilns. The kiln contained 23 fills comprised of loose mid- to dark brown clay and clayey sands with occasional charcoal inclusions.
The second kiln was cut into an earlier pit. It was keyhole-shaped and aligned on a north-east/south-west axis, with the bowl at the north-western end. The kiln measured 2.4m by 0.65m and had a maximum depth of 0.7m. The remains of stone lining could be identified within the cut of the kiln, particularly in the flue. The kiln contained one fill, a compact red-brown silty clay. The shape of this kiln was more reminiscent of a cereal-drying kiln.
Close to the possible limekiln there was also a series of large intercutting pits, which contained a range of waste materials.
A structure was identified at the north-east of the site and consisted of a series of post-holes, stake-holes and pits. It was subrectangular in shape, though part of the western side and all of the southern side would have been open. It measured 6.2m by 3.8m and enclosed a hearth, located in the south-eastern part.
The eastern wall consisted of seven post-holes varying in size from 0.24m to 0.67m in diameter and having a depth range of 0.14–23m. The northern wall consisted of four post-holes and two pits. The post-holes varied in size from 0.33m to 0.55m in diameter and were 0.04–0.18m deep. The first pit was subcircular in plan, measured 0.38m by 0.32m and had a depth of 0.05m. The second pit was circular in plan and had a diameter of 0.55m and a maximum depth of 0.04m.
The smaller western wall was represented by two post-holes, oval in plan, averaging 0.35m in diameter and 0.06m in depth.
To the immediate north of the hearth was a possible floor surface of compacted boulder clay. Three stake-holes were identified within the structure to the north of the hearth. One of these truncated the floor surface. They were all circular and measured 0.1m across on average. A shallow pit was also located inside the structure.
The second phase of the site consisted of several shallow linear features, which cut through many of the kilns, pits and post-holes described above.

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