2023:546 - Shean Upper, Cork

A programme of archaeological testing and assessment was carried out at a proposed development at Shean Upper, Co. Cork over the course of three days from 7 November 2023. Three recorded monuments are within a 500m study area of the proposed development site. The closest, CO062-179, is recorded as a redundant record and was previously listed as a ‘landscape feature’; it is located to the immediate south of the southern site boundary. To the southeast (c. 247m) of the development site lies a fulacht fia (CO062-249) and a woollen mill (CO062-065) located c. 415m to the southwest.

Eleven trenches measuring c. 2000 linear metres targeting geophysical anomalies and open green space were excavated to fully investigate the archaeological potential of the site. Topsoil was uniform across the site, comprising a friable mid-brown sandy clay, and varied in depth from 0.35-0.4m. Subsoil across test area was predominantly a mottled orange/brown stoney sand, with frequent bands of gravel and sand pockets throughout. Testing revealed no areas of archaeological significance.