2020:362 - Farrannacarriga 3, Kerry

Stage (iii) Excavation was carried out between 20 and 28 October 2020 at the site of Farrannacarriga 3 in advance of construction of the N86 Ballynasare Lower to Annascaul and Doonore North to Ballygarret Road Improvement Scheme, Co. Kerry. The work was carried out under Ministerial Direction Number A070 and Registration Numbers E005267 (Excavation) and R000545 (Metal Detection), on behalf of Kerry County Council. The site was discovered in the western area of the Ballynasare Lower to Annascaul section of the scheme in the townland of Farrannacarriga during advance Stage (i) Test Excavations undertaken in 2020 by Archaeological Management Solutions Ltd.
Farrannacarriga 3 consisted of a metalworking furnace with rake-out pit, two roasting pits, two small pits and a charcoal-production pit. The metalworking furnace had in-situ burning of the subsoil around the edges and sides of the cut and contained two deposits of charcoal-rich clayey silt. It was sub-circular in plan and measured 0.54m by 0.34m by 0.3m in depth. An adjoined rake-out pit, which was rectangular in plan with rounded corners and measured 2.14m by 1.18m by 0.4m in depth, also had in-situ burning of the subsoil around the edges and sides of the cut. It contained eight fills. Two roasting pits were located to the south-east. The first of these was sub-oval in plan, measured 1.2m by 0.64m by 0.17m in depth and contained two fills, while the second was sub-circular in plan, measured 0.86m by 0.8m by 0.13m in depth and contained a single fill. Two small pits were located to the east. The first of these was sub-circular in plan, measured 0.29m by 0.25m by 0.11m in depth and contained a single charcoal-rich fill, while the second was sub-oval in plan, measured 0.29m by 0.23m by 0.06m in depth and contained a single charcoal-rich fill. The charcoal-production pit was sub-oval in plan and measured 1.16m by 0.8m by 0.09m in depth and contained three fills, one of which was charcoal-rich.
No artefacts were recovered. In the absence of absolute dating, given the nature of the site type, it would not be unreasonable to suggest an Iron Age or medieval date for the archaeology at Farrannacarriga 3.
Post-excavation analysis is ongoing and it is hoped that specialist reports, including radiocarbon dating and comparative research, will further enhance our understanding of the site.

Archaeological Management Solutions Ltd, Fahy’s Road, Kilrush, Co. Clare