The area already had archaeological pedigree; two ancient enclosures, catalogued as DG107–039 and DG107–038, sat nearby, one just across the road and another about 70 metres to the north. Wallace’s team dug six test trenches across the proposed development site, methodically checking the footprint of the future dwelling, its access route, and the planned entranceway.

Whilst five of the trenches revealed nothing of archaeological interest, Trench 6 told a different story. Here, near the proposed entrance and running parallel to the existing field boundary, Wallace uncovered burnt stone and charcoal deposits characteristic of a fulacht fiadh, or burnt mound. These Bronze Age cooking sites, where heated stones were used to boil water in wooden troughs, are typically found in marshy ground near streams, exactly the conditions present at Ballymacaward. The discovery prompted a change of plans; the access route was shifted 30 to 40 metres north-west to preserve the ancient site.

The fulacht fiadh now sits protected behind fencing, a small pocket of Bronze Age Ireland preserved amongst modern development. These ancient cooking places, found throughout Ireland, offer glimpses into how our ancestors prepared food some 3,000 years ago, using hot stone technology to create what were essentially outdoor kitchens. The Ballymacaward example joins thousands of similar sites across the country, each one adding another piece to our understanding of Bronze Age life in Ireland.