2000:0105 - TULLA, Clare

Monitoring was carried out during construction of a trial embankment as part of the N18/N19 Ballycasey to Dromoland Road Improvement Scheme in Tulla townland, Co. Clare, in April and May 2000. These works were preceded by a preliminary site inspection and archaeological survey.

Archaeological sites potentially affected by the road improvement scheme had been identified in an environmental impact statement and a subsequent locational survey. The environmental impact study had identified one site of cultural heritage significance in the area of the trial embankment. Site 26, a circular depression defined by weeds, c. 30m in diameter, was interpreted in the EIS as a possible former feeding station unlikely to be of archaeological interest, and was not included in the locational survey. Another site (Site 27) lay immediately to the south, outside the trial embankment area. This site was identified from aerial photographs as a possible enclosure covered with scrub. The local farmer has indicated that his father remembered a small farm being there. A few scrub-covered banks and walls are visible. The design of the embankment had been modified to maintain a 20m buffer between the works and Site 27.

The design of the trial embankment required a cutting in the northern half of the field, which is raised ground on a drumlin, with the excavated boulder clay being used to build the embankment in the low-lying southern half of the field.

The initial inspection identified the hollow associated with Site 26, together with a smaller nearby hollow, which was designated Site 26B. During the survey, the area surrounding these features was clearly demarcated. The client and contractor modified the design of the embankment to avoid causing any impact and held over any investigation to form part of the main archaeological ‘resolution’ contract for the road improvement scheme.

The inspection also identified previously unrecognised features of archaeological potential in the south end of the field, immediately north of Site 27. These included an upright stone, groups of large recumbent limestone blocks, settings of small stones protruding through the turf and a low, curving mound. Following identification of these features, the design of the trial embankment was further modified to avoid causing an impact, and the layout of the features was recorded by instrument survey.

Three areas (numbered 1 to 3, from north to south) totalling 3500m2 were stripped under archaeological supervision. A subcircular archaeological feature (Context 008) was identified at the north end of Area 1, on the drumlin. It measured 5m east–west x 3m and lay partially under the north edge of the stripped area. The feature was cut into light grey boulder clay, 0.85m below the present ground surface. Three fills were recognisable in plan, an orange/brown, gravelly, silty clay, overlain by a dark brown, sandy, silty clay with occasional flecks of charcoal, overlain by an arc of black/brown, sandy clay with occasional flecks of charcoal, 2.4m north–south by 0.7m. Two teeth (probably sheep) were recovered from this context.

After consultation with Dúchas The Heritage Service, the client and the contractor, it was decided to protect Feature 008 by defining a buffer zone extending to 25m in all directions around it, in which all construction operations would cease. This was done so that the feature could be retained for investigation in the main archaeological ‘resolution’ contract for the overall road scheme. The feature was covered by a layer of thick polythene and reburied. The area was clearly demarcated so that no plant would enter it, and the contractor agreed to fence off the area.

One other feature was identified in Area 1. This was a modern field drain cut through the topsoil. The feature was c. 1m wide and was orientated north–north-west to south-south-east.

No archaeological features were identified in Areas 2 or 3. A thin, red/brown, sandy clay loam (001) overlay light grey boulder clay and limestone bedrock to a depth of 0.2–0.3m. Two field drains that cut 001 and were orientated north-north-west/south-south-east were identified.

A full report, with plans defining all the features and areas referred to, has been lodged with Dúchas and the National Museum of Ireland.