2025:605 - Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort (Adare, Boulabally & Grange Tds), Limerick
County: Limerick
Site name: Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort (Adare, Boulabally & Grange Tds)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A
Licence number: 25E0510
Author: Martin E. Byrne
Author/Organisation Address: Byrne Mullins & Associates, 7 Cnoc na Greine Square, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 546532m, N 645401m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.557301, -8.788507
As part of the preparation of an Archaeological Appraisal with respect to the Ryder Cup Event Licence Application, and following consultation with the Limerick City & County Council Archaeologist, a programme of Geophysical Survey was undertaken at four locations – Enabling Works Area 1 (Contractor Compound), Enabling Works Area 3 (Bus Terminal), Enabling Works Area 4 (GA+ Experience Facility) and an area bisecting the line of the Town Defences in the north-western quadrant of the overall landholding which was a preliminary/potential location for a non-excavation/non-intrusive surface car park but since moved further to the east.
All Geophysical Survey Areas detected features of archaeological potential interest and, following consultation with the Limerick City & County Council Archaeologist and the National Monuments Service, it was agreed that the three Enabling Works Areas (1, 3 & 4) should be further investigated by way of a programme of Archaeological Testing. Such approach was subsequently included in the Event Licence (Reg. Ref: EV25/4; Condition 13) granted by Limerick City& County Council.
Two Enabling Works Areas (1: Contractor Compound & 4: GA+ Experience Facility) were the subject of programmes of Archaeological Testing, in June 2025. The programme of testing at the Contractor Compound involved the excavation of fifteen trenches of varying lengths and orientations while that of the GA+ Facility involved the excavation of thirteen trenches. No subsurface features of archaeological interest or potential were uncovered and the geophysical anomalies were proved to be related to modern drainage features, relict field division boundaries or of geological origin.
A total of twenty-three trenches of varying lengths and orientations were excavated within Area 3 (Bus Terminal) in July 2025; as above, the geophysical anomalies were proved to be associated with modern drainage features, relict field division boundaries or of geological origin, as well as related to a former quarry pit and associated access.
The monitoring of topsoil stripping at the Contractor Compound has been completed and nothing of archaeological interest was uncovered.
Further monitoring of works will be undertaken in 2026 and 2027.