Archaeological Discoveries

Situated on a plateau that overlooks the surrounding countryside, the site contained the foundation remains of at least one Early Neolithic house (possibly two) and a potential ancillary building. Stone tools including quartz crystal items, cereal grains including cultivation and Early Neolithic pottery were identified in the foundation trench of the house indicating that the site was likely the farmstead of an early prehistoric family, and likely one of the earliest farming families to have settled the area.

Two sites, at Barnahely 2 and Raffeen 2, contained what may prove to be Bronze Age roundhouses. Each was likely the home of a single-family unit who lived on the Ringaskiddy peninsula in prehistoric times. Only the post-holes remain to indicate the outline of the possible houses.

A concentration of suspected Bronze Age grain storage pits was discovered at Barnahely. These pits contained significant quantities of charred grain and a large number of quern stones, which would have been used to grind the grain to make flour. The number of querns and quern fragments points to relatively large scale grain processing, more than would be needed for a single family group.

Several fulachtaí fia/burnt mounds were excavated across the scheme. A large example, a previously known site, was unearthed at Shannonpark. This site type typically dates to the Bronze Age. They are recognised as a mound or spread of heat-shattered stones and charcoal-rich soil, usually found in association with one or more troughs set in to the ground, and are generally found next a water source.

This was a multi-period site containing a Bronze Age flat cemetery with 13 cremations (including one urn cremation and two stone cists) and a suspected early medieval double-ditched (bi-vallate) enclosure. The urn cremation was block-lifted by a conservator, x-rayed off site and excavated in a lab.

By far, the standout site from the M28 project is the multi-enclosure complex at Barnahely 2. Three ringforts, two containing souterrains, and a later enclosure and associated cereal-drying kiln were found. Ringforts are defended farmsteads of early mediaeval date. The souterrain (underground passage) within one of the ringforts appears to have utilised an underlying cave system.

At Ballinrea, on elevated ground with expansive views to the north and east, excavations revealed a substantial enclosure of likely early medieval date. The enclosing ditch appears to have been constructed in phases, culminating in a large, ‘plectrum-shaped’ enclosure.

A substantial, sub-rectangular, ditched enclosure was identified at Ballinimlagh. The evidence suggests the site originated as a late medieval moated enclosure, likely constructed by colonists arriving as part of the Anglo-Norman conquest of Ireland.

The most striking feature from the site was a large, elongated charcoal production pit. Measuring c. 15 m long, 2.5 m wide and 0.7 m deep, this example far exceeds the more typical size range for excavated examples of such features in Ireland.