1999:058 - LISDOONVARNA WATER SUPPLY SCHEME, Clare

The Lisdoonvarna Water Supply Scheme involves the insertion of water pipes across a 32km route between Ennistymon, Doolin and Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare. The project had been ongoing for some time before an archaeological assessment was commissioned in early 1999. Monitoring commenced in April 1999. Most of the pipes followed existing road lines. In most cases the roads were cut into or built on top of natural subsoils. In several areas, especially along tertiary roads, the roads sealed substantial quantities of peat.

A fulacht fiadh was identified in the townland of Aughiska More, c. 2km to the south-west of Lisdoonvarna on the R478. A thin band of dark, heat-shattered stone was exposed within the pipe-trench, which was inserted along the southern side of the roadway. The burnt stone was sealed under c. 0.4–0.5m of road bedding and lay directly on top of natural subsoils. The spread, which was 20–100mm thick, was only identified in a localised area of c. 1–2m. Examination of the adjacent field identified a low (0.2–0.5m) kidney-shaped mound, which also appeared to contain heat-shattered stone. This feature may originally have measured c. 8m by 8.5m. The pipe-trench appeared to have clipped the southern tip of the stone spread.

The only significant off-road section of pipeline to be monitored involved the insertion of a 10m-wide wayleave, leading from the Ennistymon–Kilfenora road to a proposed new reservoir at Cahereamore td (R157926). Three fulachta fiadh were identified along the wayleave, near the Gortnaboul–Cahereamore townland boundary. These were excavated under a separate licence (see No. 53, Excavations 1999).

Monitoring of the water scheme is ongoing and is expected to conclude in April 2000.

44 Eaton Heights, Cobh, Co. Cork