2002:1212 - LIMERICK: Off Broad Street, Limerick

The site lies in the medieval walled suburb of Irishtown, Limerick, due west of Broad Street and to the south of Charlotte’s Quay. Excavations were carried out in the late 1980s on the adjacent sites to the east and north by Christine Tarbett (Excavations 1987, No. 31) and by the writer and Ms Tarbett (Excavations 1989, No. 65). Ken Hanley undertook monitoring and excavation work in early 1999 on the adjacent site to the west (Excavations 1999, No. 516, 99E0094). The area under development was a roughly triangular division of the former Corporation carpark at Charlotte’s Quay, measuring c. 75m (north–south) by up to c. 45m. An archaeological impact assessment of the proposed development was carried out by Ken Hanley at the end of March 2001. This investigation revealed two features of significance on the site, a medieval wall and a post-medieval well. In April 2001 these features were excavated, and the mechanical excavation of foundation trenches was monitored (Excavations 2001, No. 772, 01E0268). Monitoring of groundworks failed to reveal any features of archaeological significance.

Construction work requiring monitoring took place on the site between late September and early November 2002. Investigation of the site in 2001 had revealed that much of the area had been extensively levelled during the construction of the carpark in the 1960s and that the modern tarmac surface directly sealed the natural boulder-clay surface. This was confirmed during the digging of piling pits and ground-beam trenches in 2002. However, two areas were of interest: (1) an embankment along the edge of White Wine Lane, forming part of the eastern limit of the site; and (2) around the northern end of the site. The levelling of the embankment revealed fragments of buildings dating from the mid-19th century, the rubble backfill of one containing an iron cannon ball. A stone well was discovered, c. 10m east of the one excavated in 2001, and part of a brick-lined chimney. At the northern end of the site, mortared limestone foundations and part of a rubble-filled cellar of 18th-/19th-century date were revealed. Two other limestone-built wells were also found.

17 Vartry Close, Raheen, Co. Limerick