County: Kilkenny Site name: BAUNLUSK–BALLYCONRA GAS PIPELINE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 99E0388
Author: Paul Stevens for Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 648087m, N 652132m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.618297, -7.289864
Archaeological monitoring of a Bord Gáis Éireann gas pipeline from Baunlusk to Ballyconra townlands, Co. Kilkenny, was carried out between July and September 1999. The development connects the Glanbia Factory at Ballyconra, near Ballyragget, with an interconnector at Baunlusk, on the main Dublin to Cork gas main, 5km south-west of Kilkenny City. Construction involved the excavation of a 22.5km-long and 20m-wide corridor.
The pipeline covered a total of 26 townlands and 9 parishes in the baronies of Crannagh, Fassidinan, Galmoy and Shillelogher, within the ancient kingdom of Ossory. As a result of the initial environmental impact statement and subsequent archaeological monitoring of this development, thirteen (possibly fourteen) previously unrecorded archaeological monuments were discovered, consisting of fulachta fiadh, possible ring-barrows, a flat cremation and an ironworking site.
Monitoring of construction produced eight previously unknown archaeological sites. Seven of these were excavated under separate licences and are detailed in separate reports below (see Nos 427, 430, 431, 433, 437, 459 and 460). The remaining site, Parkmore 1, was backfilled, fenced off and avoided by development. This site was a possible fulacht fiadh (NGR 248062 151684, 77.41m OD) consisting of a burnt mound over 12m long and 6m wide, possibly orientated east-west, running into the south and west bulks. The site is in the northern corner of the field. Five individual, isolated pit or post-hole features were also revealed, which represent either outlying features of further archaeological sites or isolated activity.
2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin
