2025:205 - Carrigaline Middle 1 (Ballyhemiken 1), Cork
County: Cork
Site name: Carrigaline Middle 1 (Ballyhemiken 1)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A
Licence number: E005463
Author: Philip Quilty, Rubicon Archaeology Ltd.
Author/Organisation Address: The Glen Distillery Business Park, Old Whitechurch Road, Kilnap, Cork T23 HY01
Site type: Cemetery and double-ditch enclosure
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 573490m, N 564365m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.830891, -8.384627
Excavation at Carrigaline Middle 1, as part of the M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy Scheme, Co. Cork, revealed a portion of a large double-ditched enclosure of likely early medieval date, a Bronze Age flat cemetery and a shallow curvilinear ditch (remnant of possible ring barrow?) of Bronze or Iron age date.
Stage (iv) post-excavation analysis is still pending. Below is a preliminary bulletin.
Carrigaline Middle 1 consists of four cuttings (Areas A–D) and is located at the mid-way part of the scheme in the townland of Carrigaline Middle, 540m to the north of Carrigaline town, 5km to the north-west of Ringaskiddy village, and 7km southeast of Cork City.
The preliminary assessment of the results of the excavation suggests that a double ditched (bi-vallate) enclosure and associated features excavated at Carrigaline Middle 1 Area A are most likely early medieval in date, while the possible ring-barrow ditch and associated cremation was possibly Bronze or Iron Age in date. The cluster of 13 cremations, a structure and additional pits with probable relationship to the cremations at Area D, were Bronze Age in date, based on a preliminary assessment
of the associated pottery. Linear-cut features, resembling relict field boundaries on OS mapping, located to the west in Area B are most likely post-medieval in date, while two pits located at Area C are at this time of unknown date. The enclosure identified in Area A extends beyond the current road take and may be scheduled for inclusion in the RMP in the future.
A total of 396 artefacts including prehistoric pottery, copper-alloy fragments and flint (Carrigaline Middle 1 Area D), and four iron objects (Carrigaline Middle 1 Area A), were recovered during excavations and from subsequent sample processing. Archaeological materials including charred plant remains and a limited amount of animal bone was also recovered.
Further analysis of the results of the excavation is required to refine the interpretation and dating of the site. Post-excavation analysis is expected to conclude in late 2025.
Area A: 573490,564365; Area B: 573408,564367; Area C: 573313,564371; Area D: 573459,564396 (cutting centroid).