A compendium of excavated fulachta fiadh sites in Ireland

It stands to reason that if I am going to reconstruct ancient technology I should try to know as much about it as possible, that is why I have gone through the excavation reports of known excavated fulachta fiadh in Ireland. What follows is summary of each report. I have placed particular emphasis on the trough area of the fulachta fiadh as that will be the part that I am reconstructing.

(1) Coarhamore - Valencia Island, Co. Kerry.
The trough was situated in a pit which was quite irregular in plan, measuring 2.74 x 2.32m and was of uneven depth, shallowing out towards the NE. The trough was constructed towards the S end of the pit and was formed of regular sandstone slabs. Its internal dimension was 1.40m x 0.95m. Single slabs laid on edge formed its ends. A large rectangular slab (1.30m x 0.85m) formed a floor to the trough. Above the level of the slab floor the trough averaged 0.6m in height. (Sheehan 1990)

(2) Catstown - Hugginstown, Co. Kilkenny.
The trough was situated in the area between the arms of the mound. A scatter of twigs and portions of charred oak bough and a few fragments of what may have been oak planking (?) were found in this depression and these presumably represent the remains of the lining of the trough. (Ryan 1990)

(3) Peter Street - Waterford, Co. Waterford.
A Wooden trough was uncovered during the excavation of the medieval properties at Peter Street in Waterford. The trough was located 0.20m to the rear of a stone-footed house of early 13th century date. The trough was placed in a pit which was dug through earlier pits to a depth of 1.1m to the natural boulder clay forming the floor of the trough. The trough measured 1.3 m x 1.7m and was constructed of horizontally laid planks, retained at the corners and in the centre of the long side by upright posts. These had pointed bases driven into the boulder clay. The uprights and planks were of oak and were trimmed with an axe. The planks measured an average of 0.24m in breadth and 0.04m in width. The sides of the trough stood to a maximum height of 0.62m. (Walsh 1990)

(4) Ballyvourney 1 - Co. Cork.
The trough was somewhat wedge-shaped on plan. Measurements taken along the central axis gave its dimensions as 1.8 x 1m. The maximum depth measured from the water line was 40cm. At a few points a small quantity of moss had been used to pack open spaces between the timbers. The 2 long sides of the trough were made entirely of wood. The timbers used were straight branches of birch (Betula) and Oak (Quercus). These branches varied in diameter from 4 to 9cm. The short ends of the trough were constructed partly of the same material and partly out of stone. At the corner of the trough there were vertical stakes of oak which had come from a well grown tree and were carefully shaped with an axe. The plank at the bottom of the trough was oak and measured 1.24 x 2.17m. (O’Kelly 1954)

(5) Killeens - site 1, Co. Cork
The internal dimensions of this trough were taken along the central axis and were found to be 1.76m x 1.13m. The maximum height of its sides taken at the N end was 52cm. Bundles of moss were found at corners of the trough to aid in water retention. The floor was made of 4 planks laid side by side but not touching. The north ends were cut square, but at the south ends three of them had broad asymmetrical v-shaped ends. Grooves had been cut across the planks to make them compatible. When the sides and ends had been fitted together over the floor boards, stakes were driven outside the long sides thus locking the whole structure together over the floor boards. All timber work was of oak apart from one stake which was Alder (Alnus). (O’Kelly 1954)

(6) Killeens - Site 2, Co. Cork
The deepening of the nearby stream at which it was constructed had so reduced the natural level of the water in the ground around the trough that its ends and sides had decayed away leaving only a bottom portion. Thus there are no conclusive measurements. (O’Kelly 1954)

(7) Killeens - Site 2 - trough 2, Co. Cork
The new trough was now constructed of planks as in the case of Killeens 1, these planks were held in place by means of corner stakes of oak. The four corner stakes only remained in position and there was no trace of the planks which had formed the sides of the trough. Since the stakes were perfectly preserved the disappearance of the planks cannot be due to decay. Using the corner stakes as a guide its dimensions must have approximated 2.1m x 1.4m and the existing height of the stakes over the floor of the pit establish a minimum height for the side of the trough of 28cm. On the other hand it can be calculated from the stratification that the sides of the trough must have been approx. 50cm high in order to bring them level with the existing ground level. (O’Kelly 1954)

(8) Ballycrogher - site 1, Co. Down (Fig. 5)
This trough resembled a rectangular pit cut into the clay and lined with logs. The trough measuring 6ft 6in x 3ft 3in was built of whole logs of oak which had been previously barked. The seams had been caulked with moss, and the corners made secure by vertical pegs. The floor of this trough sloped downwards slightly to the northern end, and this lower end contained a small quantity of peat. For 2/3rds of its length, the logs flooring this trough were laid longitudinally and the upper end was divided from the rest by a transverse log which formed a septum. The floor at this upper end was lined with logs laid transversely (Fig. 6), nearby being the remains of a small group of upright posts - standing between the trough and the river. These may have formed a rack. (Hodges 1955).

(9) Ballycrogher - site 2b, Co. Down
The trough measuring in plan 4ft x 6ft lay between the two horns of the crescent. Only flooring logs survived. These had been trimmed and barked, but were exceptionally soft when found. The eastern end of the trough had been filled with large unburnt stones and provided these originally lay flush with the top of the trough, its original depth may be estimated at 18 inches. Lying partly beneath this floor was found a second pit filled with burnt stones and ash. This was oval in plan with fairly steep sides, sinking to a depth of 18in below the floor of the trough. No traces of wood were found in this pit. (Hodges 1955).

(10) Ballycrogher 3, Co. Down.
In the middle of an area of heavy charring was found the remains of a cooking trough which had been roughly square in plan with sides 4ft 2in x 4ft. The wood had completely decomposed but the structure had clearly been made of wood, for the sides of the trough were represented only by a band of dark-brown filling barley an inch wide. The floor also must have been planked for on the removal of the overlying stone and ash, an even thinner layer of decomposed wood was found. (Hodges 1955).

(11) Drombeg, Co. Cork
The trough was almost rectangular in plan. Measurements taken along its central axes gave its dimensions as 1.5 x 1m. The maximum depth of water the trough would hold was 56cm. The long sides of the trough were composed of slate slabs. The northern slab fell short of the required length by 10cm and a vertical sndstone slab trimmed to the required width had been skilfully inserted into the gap. The short sides of the trough were each made up of a single slabstone slab while the floor area was largely taken up by a single finely quarried slab of slate 1.40m long by 82cm, wide. The area of the trough floor not covered by the slate slab was carefully paved with suitable pieces of slate. (Fahy 1960)

(12) Dromnea, Co.Cork
This trough was stone-lined with slabs of green sandstone set into a large pit dug to receive the slabs. The trough was roughly trapezoidal in shape measuring 2.15m x 1.25m. The sides consisted of four large slabs set end to end with no overlap roughly 8cm thick and 60cm deep. The floor was natural sub-soil. The south-east slab did not fully cover that side and a large quartz stone was inserted on the south end to fill a gap in the side of the trough.

(13) Castleredmond, Co. Cork
Several fulachta fiadh were found in this area. When excavated there was no evidence for troughs - only pits. There was nothing remaining within these pits to suggest that there had ever been a wooden or stone lining. However, in one of the pits there was no remaining timber but there were the remains of 4 substantial postholes at each of the four corners, suggesting timber was used. (Doody 1987)

(14) Kilcor South IV
The trough measured 1.40 x 1.45 m. It was made from a combination of horizontally laid planks and brushwood supported with stakes. The base of the trough was lined with oak (quersus). The east and north sides of the trough were faced with oak planks. Only a few twigs remained on the west side. (Hurley 1987b)

(15) Clohoge, Co. Kilkenny
The fulachta fiadh was destroyed at an earlier date leaving only a spread of burnt stone and charcoal. (O’Flaherty 1987)

Of course it has been several years since I did my research and I know that many more fulacht fian have been excavated and published. It is worth contacting local archaeological firms to see how many they have excavated and hold records on.