2012:383 - Ballygrennan 2, Limerick

Ballygrennan 2 was located on the proposed Coonagh – Knockalisheen Distributor Road. The excavation revealed a burnt stone spread with two pit troughs, a shallow burnt stone spread and pit, an enclosure ditch, 29m in diameter, and post-medieval ditches/drains.

The burnt stone spread was an obviously truncated, likely by modern ploughing, ‘horse shoe’-shaped fulacht fiadh. The spread extended an area of 6.47m by 5.66m, the larger side of the ‘horse shoe’ being 3.39m wide, and 0.11m at its deepest.

Two trough pits were located beneath the spread; Pit 1 was under the north ‘arm’ of the spread and Pit 2 was centrally located. Pit 1 was an irregular oval shape; it sloped in from the eastern side, had a concave base and measured 2.3m by 1.4m and was 0.95m deep. The basal fill was sticky light grey sandy silt with occasional heat-affected stone and charcoal. The main fill was soft greyish black sandy silt containing heat-shattered stone and charcoal and was 0.4m thick. A deposit of brownish grey silty clay sealed the pit. Pit 2 was a sub-rectangular in plan, with steeply sloped sides and a flat base, measuring 1.95m by 1.2m and 0.6m deep. The basal fill was moderately compacted brownish black clayey silt with much charcoal. The main fill was the same as that of Pit 1 but contained many heat-shattered stones and was 0.45m thick.

Two trough pits were located beneath the spread; Pit 1 was under the north ‘arm’ of the spread and Pit 2 was centrally located. Pit 1 was an irregular oval shape; it sloped in from the eastern side, had a concave base and measured 2.3m by 1.4m and was 0.95m deep. The basal fill was sticky light grey sandy silt with occasional heat-affected stone and charcoal. The main fill was soft greyish black sandy silt containing heat-shattered stone and charcoal and was 0.4m thick. A deposit of brownish grey silty clay sealed the pit. Pit 2 was a sub-rectangular in plan, with steeply sloped sides and a flat base, measuring 1.95m by 1.2m and 0.6m deep. The basal fill was moderately compacted brownish black clayey silt with much charcoal. The main fill was the same as that of Pit 1 but contained many heat-shattered stones and was 0.45m thick.

The enclosure ditch was dug into the brow of a slope in the field, following the natural inclination of the ground from east to west. The majority of the enclosure was located within the road take. The circular ditch had an internal diameter (north-south) of 29m, enclosing an approximate area of 790m², and a north-facing break in the ditch. The sides of the cut were very steep, particularly around the edge of the natural slope, the base was very gently rounded, and was between 1-1.5m wide on average and was deepest along the western side at 0.9m and shallowest at the southern and northern sides at 0.5m. Evidence of a possible internal bank was noted in a single fill recorded in the base and internal side of the cut. There were two drains opened contemporarily with the ditch.

Extensive ploughing was also noted meaning that no internal features survived. Two linear features cut the top of the enclosure to the north and south.

TVAS (IRELAND) LTD, AHISH, BALLINRUAN, CRUSHEEN, CO. CLARE