2001:768 - KILLMALLOCK: Orr Street/Wolfe Tone Street, Limerick

The development consisted of fourteen houses with accompanying carpark spaces located in three adjacent sites, on Orr Street and Wolfe Tone Street within the medieval town and a greenfield site outside of but adjoining the town wall. Two houses front onto Orr Street and this site was excavated under a separate licence, 01E0300 (see No. 769 Excavations 2001).

Three of the houses front onto the new access road, which breaches the town wall and leads from Wolfe Tone Street to the Mid-Western Health Board centre. This site was tested in 1997 by Edmond O’Donovan (Excavations 1997, No. 346, 97E0255). The remaining nine houses with adjoining carpark are located in the greenfield site. This was tested by the author (Excavations 1998, No. 403, 98E0538) on behalf of Limerick County Council.

A licence to monitor ground disturbance associated with the development in these two areas was granted. When archaeological deposits were uncovered, the licence was upgraded to cover full excavation.

The greenfield site covers an area of approximately 6450m2. It is bounded to the north by the town wall, to the east by the River Loobagh, to the south by the health centre/town park, and to the west by the access road. There is a downward slope from the access road at the west to the river. Archaeological deposits were confined to the northern half of the site, nearer to the town wall. A medieval drain (3.3m wide x 0.45m deep) extended east–west across the entire site. The remaining deposits were concentrated at the north-east and north-west of the site. At the north-east a natural river terrace was exposed, indicating the former wider extent of the River Loobagh. A number of charcoal-rich deposits were recorded in this area, the possible result of industrial activity. In addition, an area of oxidised clay and a rough setting of stones were located at the top of the terrace. These deposits were disturbed by modern field drains. At the north-west, the remains of three pits were uncovered in association with some shallow deposits. The largest pit was circular in plan, 0.8m deep, and contained six separate fills.

The remains of four additional pits were recorded in Wolfe Tone Street. Three of these were medieval in date and truncated, leaving their bases exposed. The remaining pit was modern. In addition, a post-medieval drain was uncovered to the north.

PO Box 53, County Buildings, 79/84 O’Connell Street, Limerick