County: Kerry Site name: BALLAHACOMMANE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0016
Author: Ruth Elliott, for Dagda Archaeological Projects Ltd.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 502571m, N 588958m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.044035, -9.420317
Monitoring at the Ballahacommane sand-and-gravel quarry has been in progress since February 2000. The site, between the hill of Ballahacommane and the River Flesk, lies on undulating terrain covered by blanket bog. Phases 1 to 4 (conducted within Areas 1 and 2 in the northern part of the site) revealed no archaeological material and allowed for c. 1.5ha to be quarried to a depth of up to 12.5m.
The fifth phase of monitoring, conducted from 21 to 29 May, was undertaken to extend Area 2. During this phase the overburden was removed from a further 8800m2 to the east and north of the existing quarry area. The overlying peat varied from 0.25m to 0.65m deep, probably owing to extensive turf cutting in the past. Notably, the peat contained little or no inclusions of any kind, although occurrences of natural bogwood were observed outside the current development area. Beneath this was a layer of grey sandy gravel, determined in depth by the contours of the underlying iron pan. Within the site, yellow gravel, c. 2m deep, underlay the iron pan and overlay the sand deposits that continued beneath the base of quarry excavations. No archaeological finds or features were uncovered during soil-stripping.
Top Mews, 23 Upper Leeson Street, Dublin 4
