That it survived at all is partly a matter of chance, and partly a consequence of the legal requirement to investigate the ground before heavy infrastructure work proceeds.

A fulacht fia, sometimes called a burnt mound, is one of the most common prehistoric site types in Ireland. The typical form consists of a horseshoe-shaped mound of fire-cracked stone and charcoal-rich soil, usually positioned near a water source, and associated with a trough, often timber-lined, that would have been filled with water and heated by dropping stones from a fire. The purpose remains debated, with cooking, bathing, and industrial processes all proposed by archaeologists over the years. At Coolbeg, the possible example came to light in 2006 during works connected to landfill development. Excavated under licence, it was subsequently preserved in situ, meaning the decision was taken to leave it in place rather than remove or fully excavate it, a common approach when a site can be protected within its original context.