County: Offaly Site name: BIRR: Brendan Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Michael Tierney, Eachtra Archaeological Projects
Site type: Mill
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 605948m, N 604754m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.194549, -7.912986
Unlicensed monitoring was carried out on behalf of Shannon Development in a development involving the renovation of a 19th-century mill. An earlier assessment and report of the site had been made by Colin Rynne. Permission was granted by Dúchas to carry out the work at short notice. The excavation of four engineering test-pits was monitored. They were on average 2m north–south by 1.5m, with an average depth of 1.5m. Two trenches revealed traces of timber and clay floors from the mill. No pre-mill archaeological deposits were revealed.
Part of the mill-race around the location of the mill-wheel was excavated to prepare for the renovation of the wheel and part of the race. This part of the project is being overseen by Chris Southgate of C. Southgate and Associates, Cork. There is continued liaison with Dúchas on this matter.
Subsequent building methods meant that no further groundworks were planned and permission was given for the development to proceed without further archaeological investigations being required.
River Oaks, Riverstown, Birr, Co. Offaly
