A fulacht fia, the most common prehistoric monument type in Ireland, typically consists of a horseshoe-shaped mound of fire-cracked stone built up over repeated use: stones were heated in a hearth, dropped into a water-filled trough to bring it to the boil, then discarded in a growing heap. The example at Oxpark, near Cloghjordan in north Tipperary, proved unusually legible when excavated, its internal organisation preserved well enough to reconstruct exactly how the space was used.

The site came to light in 2006 when planning for a 67-acre sustainable development at Cloghjordan prompted a geophysical survey and subsequent test trenching, carried out by archaeologist Emer Dennehy on behalf of Margaret Gowen and Co. Ltd. The mound was substantial, measuring 26 metres north to south and 20 metres across, and sat on a slight rise just 35 metres north of a small stream. At its centre, a defined work area of roughly 10 by 6 metres contained two troughs and four roasting pits grouped around a small windbreak. The organisation was precise: hearths for heating stones sat to the west, stockpiles of limestone to the east, and debris accumulated to the north and east, leaving the southern side open for access. Only one of the troughs retained evidence of a wooden lining. Episodes of peat regrowth within the mound pointed to seasonal or periodic breaks in activity, likely reflecting the wet, low-lying nature of the location. Later disturbances, including land reclamation work and the burial of a horse, had compromised the upper stratigraphy, but the core layout survived. The site was one of five archaeological features identified across the development area, which also included a second fulacht fia 160 metres to the south-east, a possible post-medieval blast furnace, and a ring-barrow. The Cloghjordan area had already been known for its Anglo-Norman remains, including a moated site and a castle, but the discoveries added considerably earlier layers to the picture, including a late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age ring-barrow that raised questions about whether a nearby enclosure, previously assumed to be medieval, might itself be prehistoric.