County: Cavan Site name: Ballytrust 1
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 16E0527
Author: Derek Gallagher
Site type: Fulacht fiadh
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 636419m, N 793768m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.892038, -7.445957
An archaeological excavation was carried out at Ballytrust 1 in November 2016, in advance of the proposed N55 Road Realignment Scheme, Co. Cavan. Ballytrust 1 was located at the base of a drumlin beside a small stream, to the west of the current N55, at the southern end of the N55 Phase 2 road re-alignment. The site consisted of a series of burnt spreads extending along the base of the hill and along the small stream. Agricultural improvements involving drainage works disturbed the burnt stone spreads.
There were seven small burnt stone spreads (C03-C09), five troughs (C14, C15, C18, C19 & C23) and
five post holes (C20-C22, C37 & C38) identified at the site. The spreads were insubstantial, averaging 3.5m x 2m with the largest measuring 6.4m x 2.14m and the smallest measuring 2.7m x 1.6m. They varied in thickness from 0.01m to 0.2m. The troughs were located beneath the burnt spreads and had no evidence for wood or stone lining. They had flat bases, steep sides and one trough C14, had 2 timber posts, Timber 1 at its south end and Timber 2 at its northern end. A second trough, C19, had three associated post-holes along its northern edge and these may have supported some sort of timber structure.
Charcoal samples were recovered from the basal fills of three of the troughs. A sample of charcoal recovered from the basal fill of the trough C23 was identified as piunus, contained 0.1g of charcoal and returned a date of 2203-2033 cal BC (3725 +/-30 BP). A second sample recovered from the basal fill of trough C18 was identified as hazel, contained 0.5g of charcoal and returned a date of 2458-2199 cal BC (3835 +/-35). The third sample from the basal fill of trough C14 was identified as alder, contained 0.2g of charcoal and returned a date of 2136–1921 cal BC (3835 +/-35). The dates were broadly contemporary, indicating that the troughs were in use during the Early Bronze Age.
No other post-excavation analysis was undertaken for this site and no finds were recovered from the archaeological features.
The charcoal identified at this site was most likely used as firewood as well as post material. Hazel dominated the burnt mound spreads, troughs and pits while oak was more prevalent in the post-hole fill. A split alder plank and a post were used in the construction of one trough (C14). Lesser counts of blackthorn/cherry and willow were also identified.
Four fulachtaí fiadh have been excavated as part of the current scheme and include Ballytrust 2 located 114m to the south-east and further north-east along the scheme Garrymore 2 and Garrymore 3. Similar dates (2456-2142 cal BC and 2471 –2214 cal BC) were returned for Ballytrust 2 suggesting Early Bronze Age activity in this townland, where the natural resources in the landscape were utilised.
Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit, Unit 21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
