County: Kildare Site name: THE CURRAGH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 98E0593, 98E0594
Author: Martin Reid for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.
Site type: Ringfort - rath
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 674934m, N 712831m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.160695, -6.879473
A topographic survey was conducted along the line of the proposed M7 Motorway/Kildare Bypass in the area of The Curragh. A contour map, a 3D surface map and a shaded relief map of the area were produced. An archaeological aerial survey was also conducted for the area of the bypass.
Two sites were considered for testing, based on the assessment.
Site A (98E0593)
This was described as a circular embankment and 'the bank surrounding a hollow [that] spreads out to a width of c. 20m in parts' in the assessment report. Two test-trenches laid out at right angles to each other were excavated at this site. Topsoil lay directly over boulder clay at a depth of 0.2–0.3m below the sod. There was no evidence of archaeological activity. It was concluded that this hollow was a natural undulation in the landscape.
Site B (98E0594)
The outer bank of a multivallate ringfort lay c. 25m away from the road take, where it was proposed to excavate two test-trenches. Topsoil lay directly over boulder clay at 0.2–0.3m depth. As time allowed, and with the permission of the National Monuments Service, a further four test-trenches were excavated with the same lack of archaeological features resulting.
29/30 Duke Street, Athy, Co. Kildare
