1997:356 - LIMERICK: Mungret Street, Limerick

Trial-trenching was undertaken at a proposed development site on 28 March, in compliance with a request from the Heritage Council. The site is located within the confines of the city walls, a portion of which remain extant c. 20m to the south-east of the site. Planning permission for the construction of a mixed shopping and residential development had been granted by Limerick Corporation without an archaeological condition being attached.

Thirteen trenches were excavated by machine in order to determine the nature and extent of any archaeological remains that might exist within the confines of the site. However, no such features or deposits were uncovered as the surface of the site had been scarped in the recent past. Evidence for cellars was uncovered along the street frontage and along the southern (Bull Lane) boundary of the site. Four sherds of post-medieval pottery as well as a large quantity of clay pipe fragments were recovered. The pipe fragments came from a dump of this material uncovered in the central area of the site. The maker’s name, Kenneally’s, was stamped on many of the stems and bowls, and a number of the bowls also had ‘Killarney’ stamped on them. Preliminary research has indicated that a clay pipe factory existed on Mungret Street during the 19th century and it is probable that this material represents a dump of waste from such industry.

The trial-trenches were dug to the surface of the bedrock, which was found to be quite shallow (c. 1.2m) in places. There was evidence that quarrying may have been undertaken at the site in antiquity and it is feasible that such activity may have occurred during the medieval period, providing a ready source of raw materials for the construction of the town walls and other stone structures in the vicinity.

39 Kerdiff Park, Monread, Naas, Co. Kildare