Archaeological excavation report, 02E1233 Ballinaspig More 7, County Cork

The N22 Ballincollig Bypass scheme involves the construction of a new dual carriageway between Bishopstown (Ballinaspig More townland) and Ovens (Knockanemore townland) and covers an area of 750,000 square metres. A programme of advance archaeological investigation was undertaken prior to construction under licence number 01E0546 and involved excavating a 2m wide test trench along the centreline of the proposed route with offset trenches to the edge of the road-take every 25m on alternate sides. In addition to the five sites of archaeological potential identified through the archaeological impact assessment, eleven sites identified during the course of this investigation were subsequently excavated. Archaeological monitoring of the main engineering earthworks programme commenced in March 2002 under licence number 02E0058. During the course of monitoring, a spread of burnt-mound material was identified and designated Ballinaspig More 7. The subsequent excavation under licence 02E1233 revealed the remains of a multi-phased site representing at least two distinct fulachta fiadh. Over a millennium separated the first phase of activity from the last. Three troughs, a hearth, a drainage feature and a series of stakeholes were all located underneath the burnt-mound material. Charcoal analysis retrieved from the site revealed that at least seven wood species were present. Carbon dating of seven samples returned dates ranging from the Late Neolithic/Beaker period to the Middle Bronze Age. A whetstone was the only find of archaeological significance retrieved from the site.