1996:029 - KILLALOE, Clare

Archaeological test-trenching was undertaken in advance of the proposed Killaloe Sewerage Scheme in September 1996. The test-trenching represented the first phase of assessment, the objective of which was to identify the areas where monitoring would be required. Twenty-one trenches, each measuring 2m x 1m, were mechanically excavated at selected locations along the route of the proposed pipelines. Thirteen of the trenches were located within the urban zone of archaeological potential and the remaining eight were located on the roads of the various approach routes to the town.

Trenches 1–6 and 17–18 were located on the higher ground in the modern town centre. Here the tarmacadam stir-face directly overlay the natural light yellowish-brown coarse sand, which had invariably been disturbed (i.e. excavated and reinstated) during the course of previous pipe-laying operations.

Trenches 7–13 were located on the lower ground along the Scariff Road, Royal Parade and the Limerick Road on the north and east sides of the modern town. These trenches revealed 1–2m of redeposited soils (mixed silt/clay/sand deposits) with moderate inclusions of pebbles, cobbles, slate, brick, animal bone, roots and flecks of charcoal and lime and occasional sherds of post-medieval/modern pottery types. These deposits overlay natural coarse and fine-textured sands, which varied from light brown to orange in colour.

Trenches 14–16 and 19–21 were located outside the town on the Scariff, Creeveroe and Limerick Roads. The natural ground or redeposited naturally occurring sands and silts were located close to the surface in all of these trenches. Two modern pottery sherds were recovered from a redeposited yellowish-brown silty sand in Trench 15.

The test-trenching did not reveal any deposits or finds of archaeological significance but intermittent monitoring will continue for the duration of the scheme.

Rath House, Ferndale Rd, Rathmichael, Co. Dublin