1998:050 - AREA 1, LATOON SOUTH, Clare

In the summer of 1998 an archaeological investigation was carried out in the townland of Latoon South, Co. Clare, as part of the proposed N18/19 Ballycasey- Dromoland Bypass Road Improvements Scheme. This followed an Environmental Impact Survey carried out by Celie O Rahilly and subsequent site assessments by Christine Grant, undertaken in 1998. It was established that there were a number of earthworks in the townland. This investigation was conducted at Environmental Impact Survey Area 1.

Following Ms O Rahilly's and Ms Grant's recommendations, a non-intrusive geophysical and topographic survey was commissioned. The results of this survey highlighted a number of anomalies of sufficient archaeological interest to warrant further inspection. These anomalies were interpreted as a possible stony bank feature, a number of potential burnt spreads and a possible ring-ditch. In consultation with Valerie J. Keeley Ltd and Dúchas The Heritage Service it was decided to concentrate excavation on resolving the anomalies and assessing their archaeological worth.

Trench 1, to the south-east of the area, was excavated to a depth of 0.55m and measured 5m x 1m. It was sited to investigate an anomaly detected during the geophysical survey, which indicated the presence of either ferrous litter or fired materials. It was orientated in a general east-west direction and, before topsoil removal, showed no above-ground traces of earthworks.

The top layer consisted of sod and topsoil to a maximum depth of 0.22m. Finds recovered from this layer consisted of modern pottery/crockery. The underlying layer was compacted, brown silt with a maximum depth of 0.45m. Trench 1 was excavated to a deposit of boulder infill. The landowner confirmed that the area was the site of a boulder dump during land clearance work in 1988.

Trench 2, positioned to traverse a possible stony bank, was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. It measured 5m x 1m, was orientated north-west/south-east and lay to the west of Trench 1. The layers encountered were similar to those in Trench 1: sod and topsoil c. 0.2m thick above a mid-brown, silty material with occasional small stones. This overlay natural limestone bedrock. There were no finds.

Trench 3, excavated to a depth of 0.2m, was the northernmost trench, sited on a slope and orientated north-east/south-west. It cut across an area that, according to the geophysical report, had a high susceptibility to soil-filled structures such as pits or ditches. As in the previous trenches, soil cover was quite thin and bedrock was exposed directly under the sod. No finds or features were uncovered.

Purcell House, Oranmore, Co. Galway