County: Kerry Site name: Rangue
Sites and Monuments Record No.: KE056-058---- Licence number: 16E0282
Author: Aidan Harte
Site type: Burnt spread
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 476314m, N 594396m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.087651, -9.804879
Test trenching was carried out from 14–17 June 2016, within the townland of Rangue, Co. Kerry. This testing was necessary for planning permission being sought for a solar farm development. A total of 1600 linear metres were excavated using 15 test trenches which examined the solar panel layout and other elements of the design.
All trenches were located in present day pastural farmland. The majority of the area has been reclaimed from peat bog during the 20th century. This reclamation work was evident in all trenches and the stratigraphy was very disturbed in places. No artefacts were recovered from any trench.
A single archaeological feature was identified at the centre of the proposed development (ITM 476314, 594396). This was a probable burnt spread or fulacht fiadh, found 0.6m below current ground level. Here, the test trench was extended to the north and south and the site appears to have been situated along the edge of a body of water to the west. The deposit of heat-shattered stone and charcoal-rich soil is at least 0.75m in thickness and its extent can be measured as 14m north-south by 8.5m. This has been preserved in situ and reported to the Archaeological Survey of Ireland (added as KE056-058----)
Munster Archaeology, Butlerstown, Bandon, Co. Cork
