What was uncovered at Coolbeg in 2006 is a fulacht fia, a type of site found in considerable numbers across Ireland, typically consisting of a mound of burnt and shattered stone, a water-filled trough, and a nearby hearth. The stones would have been heated in the fire and dropped into the trough to bring the water to a boil, a surprisingly efficient method that experimental archaeology has since confirmed works well for cooking large joints of meat.

The Coolbeg site came to light during excavations carried out ahead of landfill construction, a reminder that infrastructure projects, though rarely welcome from a heritage perspective, have produced some of the most significant archaeological discoveries of recent decades. Alongside the characteristic burnt mound, archaeologists uncovered a wood-lined trough and a hearth. A radiocarbon date obtained from the site places its use somewhere between 1890 and 1690 BC, placing it firmly in the Early to Middle Bronze Age. That span of roughly two centuries suggests the site may have seen repeated use rather than a single episode, though the record does not say more than the date range allows.