County: Tipperary Site name: CLONMEL: King Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 83:19 Licence number: 01E0682
Author: Stuart Elder, Eachtra Archaeological Projects
Site type: Standing stone - present location
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 620795m, N 623075m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.358860, -7.694708
As part of a housing development just off King Street in Clonmel, monitoring of the topsoil-stripping took place over the course of a couple of days, prior to the commencement of the construction phase. A solitary earthfast standing stone was situated on a rise in the south-eastern corner of the site, and perhaps represents a previously unrecorded ogham stone. It appears to be of quarried granite, partially dressed, and stood to a height of 1.25m above the surface of the field. It is 0.43m wide at the base, 0.3m wide at the top, and 0.19m thick. Along the edge formed by the northern and western faces there are traces of a possible ogham inscription, although this is quite weathered and difficult to determine. Investigations are ongoing, but it is likely that the stone was transported by a former landowner from an as yet unknown location, but possibly a nearby enclosure site, RMP 83:23.
Excavation took place around the base of the stone, revealing a rectangular cut measuring 0.6m by 0.39m by 0.25m deep. However, as the stone was placed in the ground at a total depth of 0.51m, it seems safe to suggest that this is the actual depth of the cut. Thus the standing stone cut through the topsoil, the subsoil and a gravelly layer which is most likely natural.
The stone is to be removed from the site, both for protection and to enable further analysis and possible identification.
Unit 2F, Dungarvan Business Park, Shandon, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford
