County: Cork Site name: RATH EAST/COOLAVOHER/COOLIERHER
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E1598, 02D086, 02R138
Author: Máire Ní Loingsigh, Sheila Lane & Associates
Site type: Bridge
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 519017m, N 573658m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.909179, -9.177014
As part of a road improvement scheme, it is proposed to widen a bridge over the River Douglas, a tributary of the Sullane, at Rath East, Ballymakeera, Co. Cork. The development will involve the demolition of the southern face of an existing, mid-19th-century, single-arched bridge. (The southern elevation of the new part of the bridge will be faced with stone from the existing structure.)
An assessment, including a full survey of the bridge, riverbed, banks and outlying areas, was carried out at the site in October 2002. No features or structures pre-dating the 19th-century bridge were noted. A metal-detector survey of the riverbed was carried out from c. 15m downstream to 10m upstream of the bridge. Various items of metal rubbish were recovered from the surface of the riverbed, and three unidentified contacts were noted and recorded.
Widening of the bridge has been postponed until April 2003 so as not to impinge on fish spawning. Any ground disturbance work at the site, including excavation of the riverbed, will be monitored. Widening of the road westward from the bridge has involved rock breaking, but no archaeology has been recorded during this phase of the development.
AE House, Monahan Road, Cork
