1999:473 - N20/N21 ROAD IMPROVEMENT SCHEME, Adare/Annacotty Contract 2, Limerick

This is a summary of the licensed monitoring attendance during the construction phase of Contract 2 of the Adare to Annacotty Road Improvement Scheme, from September 1998 to November 1999.

The dual carriageway extended for 14km from the townland of Kilgobbin in the south-west of the county (on the northern edge of the town of Adare) to the townland of Rathbane South, to the south-east of Limerick City. The road improvement scheme required the construction of twelve bridges and a number of ancillary roads. The clearance work consisted of the removal of 276,431m3 of topsoil. The townlands of Ashfort, Attyflin, Ballybronoge South, Ballycummin, Ballygeale, Barnakyle, Cloghacloka, Derrybeg, Derryknockane, Fortetna, Gorteen, Kilgobbin, Monearla, Rathbane South/ North, Rineroe and Rossbrien were all subject to monitoring attendance during the construction phase of Contract 2.

A variety of sites were discovered during the monitoring of the topsoil clearance, ranging from prehistoric settlement and burial sites up to 19th-century rural and industrial sites. Of the 24 archaeological sites discovered during topsoil clearance for the road scheme, excavation was carried out on 21. Sites at Fortetna townland and at Rathbane South townland did not require archaeological excavation, but they were recorded. It was decided, following consultation with Dúchas, that a fulacht fiadh discovered at Rossbrien townland could be covered in a geotextile material, sand and earth, as it lay in an area outside the main construction works and so would not be affected by the development.

The following is a list of sites that were discovered and investigated during the construction phase of the road scheme, all in County Limerick:

Fulacht fiadh and Beehive well, Barnakyle, excavated by Ciara MacManus, see No 490, Excavations 1999;

Fulacht fiadh, Attyflin, excavated by Ciara MacManus, see No. 479, Excavations 1999;

Fulacht fiadh remains, Derryknockane, excavated by Ciara MacManus and Damian Finn, see No. 500, Excavations 1999;

Fulacht fiadh remains, Cloghacloka, excavated by Mary Deevy, see No. 496, Excavations 1999;

Corn-drying kiln, Gorteen, excavated by Ciara MacManus, see No. 504, Excavations 1999;

Two fulachta fiadh, Rossbrien, excavated by Mary Deevy, see No. 533, Excavations 1999;

Two fulachta fiadh and a stone-lined well, Gorteen, excavated by Mary Deevy, see No. 505, Excavations 1999;

Ring-ditch, Ballybronoge South, excavated by James Eogan and Damian Finn, see No. 481, Excavations 1999;

Fulacht fiadh, Attyflin, excavated by Mary Deevy, see No. 478, Excavations 1999;

Tree-circle at Fortetna, National Grid coordinates 15262 14919, recorded by Damian Finn;

Fulacht fiadh at Rossbrien, National Grid coordinates 15777 15334; following consultation with Dúchas, it was agreed that geotextile material, sand and stone would be sufficient protection for the site, as road construction will not be affecting the site completely;

Spread of archaeological material, Ballybronoge South, excavated by James Eogan and John (Sinclair) Turrell, see No. 481, Excavations 1999;

Undated field boundary and pits, Ballygeale, excavated by James Eogan and John (Sinclair) Turrell, see No. 486, Excavations 1999;

Possible prehistoric settlement, Ballygeale, excavated by James Eogan and John (Sinclair) Turrell, see No. 485, Excavations 1999;

Pits and post-holes at Kilgobbin, excavated by Ciara MacManus, see No. 508, Excavations 1999;

Subcircular pit, Kilgobbin, excavated by Ciara MacManus, see No. 508, Excavations 1999;

Fulacht fiadh remains, Rineroe, excavated by Mary Deevy, see No. 532, Excavations 1999;

Fulacht fiadh, Rossbrien, excavated by Catherine McLoughlin, see No. 534, Excavations 1999;

Artificial platform and possible fulacht fiadh, Rathbane South, excavated by Catherine McLoughlin, see No. 529, Excavations 1999;

Bridge footings at Rathbane South, National Grid co-ordinates 15860 15410, recorded by Damian Finn;

Fulacht fiadh, Rathbane South, excavated by Catherine McLoughlin, see No. 531, Excavations 1999;

Fulacht fiadh, Rathbane South, excavated by Catherine McLoughlin, see No. 530, Excavations 1999.