2019:589 - BALLYDRIBBEEN, Kerry

Test excavation at Ballydribbeen was undertaken over two days in May 2019. A series of nine 1.8m wide north-south orientated test trenches (T1-T9), with a total meterage of c.1170m, were opened on a fairly level green field. Topsoil consisted of mid to dark brown soft material, 0.4-0.5m deep. Subsoil was orange to yellow/orange loose gravelly and stony material entirely consistent with the natural moraine-derived material found around Killarney. Two areas of archaeological potential were identified in T6 and in T9. Coeval with the archaeological testing, monitoring was also undertaken of geotechnical trial pits (TPs). All TPs proved archaeologically negative.
The archaeological features discovered during testing in May 2019 were fully excavated in June 2019 under the same licence. Two Areas (Area 1 & 2) were opened using GNSS coordinates from the testing. Area 2 was opened around an irregular charcoal spread that was found in T6. Excavation of the spread proved it to be non-archaeological in nature, most likely a tree-bole. No other features were found in Area 2.
A sub-rectangular Area 1 (13.5m x 12.5m) was open around three potential post-holes discovered in May in T9. In all a total of nine features were excavated. They comprised of five pits, three post-holes and a small spread. A large number of finds was recovered including seventeen lithics of flint and chert (including scraper) and five larger stone artefacts. The site also produced an important assemblage of prehistoric pottery (112 sherds, plus five fragments) which represents six fine early Neolithic carinated bowls. At least some of the pottery appears to represent special, structured, deposits possibly within a carefully placed pattern of pits (Grogan and Roach, 2019).

Reference:
Grogan E. & Roche H. 2019 The Prehistoric Pottery From Ballydribbeen, Co. Kerry. Unpublished Report.

3 Lios Na Lohart, Ballyvelly, Tralee, Co. Kerry