1999:069 - SIXMILEBRIDGE: Main Street, Clare

A large-scale development at the rear of Main Street, Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare, was tested in December 1999, as part of an archaeological impact statement. The 1.8-acre site leads south from Main Street along the western bank of the Owenagarney River. The front (northern) sixth of the site consists of a coalyard (still in use), while the rest consists of a relatively flat, poorly drained field.

Eight test-trenches were opened. Trench I led south from Main Street through the entrance into the coalyard. This revealed only modern building debris/landfill. It was not possible to test under the coalyard area because of access problems caused by existing structures and storage areas.

Trenches II–VIII were excavated to the south of the coalyard in the open green-field area of the site, which was subject to substantial flooding. These revealed a c. 0.2–0.85m depth of modern landfill on the northern half of the site. The original surface contained a relatively consistent, silty clay topsoil cover, which rested directly on the underlying natural, sandy subsoil. The only anomalies identified (apart from field drains) were three post-medieval cut features at the southern end of Trench VI and a spread of burnt stone in the western end of Trench IV.

The burnt spread was sealed under a 0.2–0.4m cover of clay topsoil and appeared as a spread of dark, heat-shattered stone c. 2.5m north-south x c. 4m x 0.08–0.1m deep, forming a slight arc. The burnt stone was indicative of a fulacht fiadh.

Further archaeological examination of the coalyard area and the burnt spread was recommended, as was some general monitoring.

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