2024:751 - Tuogh (AH39): Foynes to Limerick Road including Adare Bypass, Limerick

Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS) on behalf of Limerick City and County Council (LCCC), sponsored by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), undertook Stage (i)b Site Specific Test Excavations by Hand, Stage (i)g Topographic Survey and Stage (i)h Metal Detector Survey at a Recorded Monument (SMR/RMP LI021-005—- ringfort-rath; Project Ref. AH39 in Test Excavation Area SE_D001), in the townland of Tuogh for the planned Foynes to Limerick Road (including Adare Bypass), Co. Limerick under Ministerial Direction No. A000084.

The on-site works took place between 10 and 21 May 2024. Although it was initially envisaged that construction works would result in the total removal of the south-eastern portion of the ringfort-rath (LI021-005—-) which lay within the lands made available (LMA), upon assessment of the results of the archaeological works, and subsequent consultation between LCCC, the TII Project Archaeologist and the LCCC Resident Archaeologist, a design change of the LMA at ringfort-rath (LI021-005—-) resulted in the future protection of the upstanding remains of the monument outside of a revised LMA. Therefore, the upstanding remains of ringfort-rath (LI021-005—-) that now lie outside the revised LMA will be preserved in situ.

The results of hand testing identified the extant drystone wall representing the enclosing element of the ringfort-rath (LI021-005—-). No apparent sign of material/mortar used to bond stones of the wall together was noted, with the construction form being dry stone. The base of the wall sits directly on the natural clay subsoil, with no foundations noted. The wall is in a poor state of preservation and has collapsed in several sections, with only c.3.3m of wall in good condition. Three trenches (Trenches T1–T3) were excavated initially, with an additional trench (Trench T1.1) excavated to assess the nature and extent of a possible pit. These trenches were positioned in order to investigate the possible presence of a ditch associated with the ringfort-rath LI021-005—-. No trace of an associated surrounding ditch was revealed in any of the test trenches.

Following on from Stage (i) testing, a Stage (ii) area of 631m²  was opened up within the revised LMA directly adjacent to LI021-005—-, in order to confirm the results of test trenching and to ascertain if any smaller features of archaeological interest might survive in the environs of the monument. One possible pit/tree bole was identified, and was fully documented and excavated. This feature was deemed to be of no/low archaeological interest, and no further archaeological mitigation will be required in relation to AH39/LI021-005—-.

Six metal finds (S000249:1–6) were identified and recovered from the metal detecting of the site. The finds comprised an iron rectangular bar (S000249:1), an iron cut nail (S000249:2), iron wire (S000249:3), iron chain links (S000249:4), an iron strap hinge (S000249:5), and an iron handle (S000249:6).