County: Clare Site name: CLONMONEY NORTH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 51:156 Licence number: 01E0235
Author: Conor Brady, for Cultural Resource Development Services Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 543745m, N 662365m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.709485, -8.832492
Archaeological assessment preceded proposed development of a quarry, part of which lay within the constraint area marking the traditional location of the early 14th-century Battle of Bunratty. The first phase of fieldwork comprised a metal-detector survey (01R0038) in order to attempt to identify the presence of metal objects possibly related to the battle. The overall density of hits recorded was low in relation to other systematic metal-detector surveys carried out elsewhere, but several areas with slightly higher densities of hits were identified.
The second phase of fieldwork involved the test-trenching of the areas identified. Five test-trenches were dug at least to the depth of subsoil using a mechanical digger with a 2m-wide ditching bucket. Each trench measured c. 2m by 4.5m, except for Trench 3, which measured c. 2m by 20.5m. The trenches were dug in spits 0.2m deep and each new surface was swept with the metal-detector, as was the removed spoil. Nothing was found that could relate to the battle, metal or otherwise; all finds recovered were modern.
The third phase of fieldwork on the site related to the monitoring of topsoil-stripping. Five potential features were uncovered, only three of which were of archaeological significance. These were cordoned off for subsequent resolution (see Excavations 2001, No. 53).
2 Leland Place, Stockwell Street, Drogheda, Co. Louth
