2014:096 - Barranafaddock, Glencullen and Labbanacallee, Waterford

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Waterford Site name: Barranafaddock, Glencullen and Labbanacallee

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 13E0299

Author: Annette Quinn

Site type: Burnt spread and associated features

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 593523m, N 603444m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.182761, -8.094713

Testing of the proposed Barranafaddock wind farm, Co. Waterford, undertaken in January 2014, was carried out as part of planning conditions attached to the development by Waterford County Council (Planning Ref. 11/400 and 13/32). A spread of black charcoal-rich material (burnt spread) was uncovered during the testing at turbine 18 which is situated in rough pasture, in the townland of Labbanacallee towards the west side of the wind farm site. The burnt spread and associated archaeological features were fully exposed during the construction stage of the wind farm development when topsoil was stripped from the turbine base and hardstand under supervision. The site was subsequently fully excavated under licence 13E299 ext. The findings consisted of a shallow burnt mound which overlay a large oval pit (trough) and other shallow cut features. Numerous stake-holes were noted around the trough and cutting its base. No artefacts were recovered from any of the excavated features or deposits, however, given the typical findings of burnt mound and underlying cut features including a trough it is most likely that the site represents the remains of a fulacht fiadh and is Bronze Age in date.

Tobar Archaeological Services, Saleen, Midleton, Cork.