County: Clare Site name: BALLYCONNEELY (AR52)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0073, 00E0284
Author: Thaddeus C. Breen, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Post Medieval (AD 1600-AD 1750)
ITM: E 534696m, N 680778m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.873936, -8.970049
During monitoring of surface-stripping on the line of the N18/19 Road Improvement Scheme, a number of timbers were found in a bog. Some of them appeared to be worked and to have an approximately regular orientation. Seven cuttings were laid out with a view to investigating the extent, depth, nature and date of the features. These concentrated mostly on the area not yet affected by machinery, to provide a more complete picture of the stratigraphy. The timbers in this area proved to be somewhat decayed and unworked. They were all at one level, but their distribution was consistent with natural deposition. In the second phase of the excavation, the timbers originally noted were uncovered and excavated fully, and a further area nearby was stripped. The pattern was now seen to consist of random groups of natural timbers.
In this area, however, nine linear stone features were found. Eight of these were drains; the other appeared to be the base of a wall. All but one of the drains were of the ‘French drain’ type and ran into a central stream or channel that drained the bog. The other drain ran from the dry land above the bog and connected with one of the French drains. It consisted of rough side-walls, a base and capstones. Two sherds of post-medieval pottery were found in the layer into which one of the French drains was cut.
13 Wainsfort Crescent, Templeogue, Dublin 6W
