1993:185 - CLONLYON GLEBE, Offaly

Monitoring was carried out at Clonlyon Glebe, Belmont, Co. Offaly (Par. Clonmacnoise, Bar. Garrycastle) on a site for a bungalow and septic tank. The site of the dwelling house is located to the east of a possible enclosure (SMR 14:00301) which appeared to enclose an oval earthwork (SMR 14:00302). However, recent fieldwork by the Office of Public Works had indicated that SMR 14:00301 is not of any archaeological interest and that SMR 14:00302 had been levelled. In addition, the site of the bungalow was located immediately outside the area designated by the Sites and Monuments Record. Based on the site assessment and in consultation with the Office of Public Works it was decided that monitoring of the foundation trenches would be sufficient to ensure that any archaeological features which might appear at that stage would be recorded. However, on arrival at the site the entire east end of the field had been scarped to a maximum depth of 0.6m to provide a level surface for the erection of the dwelling and the provision of a driveway. An examination of the dumps of topsoil revealed a pile of large heat-cracked stones and burnt clay banded with charcoal indicating that a feature or features had been destroyed.

Monitoring of the trench for the septic tank revealed nothing of an archaeological nature but in the hole for the septic tank a layer of mortar, cobbles and an unmortared wall in which a fragment of a clay pipe bowl dating to the early 18th century was found.

Skidoo, Ballyboughal, Co. Dublin