2002:1983 - N11, Newtownmountkennedy to Ballynabarny, Wicklow

Monitoring took place during the construction of the N11 Newtownmountkennedy–Ballynabarny Road Scheme from April 2002 and should be completed by June 2003. The dual carriageway extended for 13km from the townland of Killadreenan in north County Wicklow (at the southern end of the Newtownmountkennedy Bypass) to the townland of Ballynabarny on the existing N11 road (2km west of Wicklow town). The dual carriageway required the construction of thirteen structures/bridges and sixteen ancillary roads. The scheme consisted of the clearance of 129ha of land and the removal of 200,006m3 of topsoil.

A variety of sites were discovered during the monitoring, including prehistoric settlement, ritual and industrial sites. A complex of fulachta fiadh was also discovered, during pre-development testing in Rathmore townland.

The road construction affected property in the following townlands: Ballinaclogh, Ballinalea, Ballinapark, Ballybeg, Ballyhenry, Ballynabarny, Ballyvolan Lower, Ballyvolan Upper, Broomfield, Coolbeg, Cullenmore, Inchanappa North, Inchanappa South, Killadreenan, Killaoreman, Killoughter, Kilmartin, Kiltimon, Milltown North, Mount Usher, Rathmore, Rossana Lower, Rossana Upper and Timore.

Twenty sites were discovered and resolved during pre-development testing for the scheme. A further 28 sites were discovered during topsoil clearance for the main dual carriageway. It was decided, after consultation with Dúchas, that a fulacht fiadh discovered outside the CPO line in Ballynabarny townland did not require archaeological excavation but would be surveyed. The remains of the fulacht fiadh in Rathmore townland were outside the carriageway but would be affected by drainage works and so were monitored during the construction phase.

The following sites were discovered and investigated during the construction phase.

Site 1: prehistoric habitation and kiln, Ballynabarny, excavated by Niall Gregory (No. 1949, Excavations 2002, 02E0544);
Site 2: non-archaeological scatter of pits, Ballynabarny, investigated by Niall Gregory;
Site 3: large pit, Ballynabarny, excavated by Ciara MacManus (No. 1954, Excavations 2002, 02E0473);
Site 4: scatter of pits, Ballynabarny, excavated by Niall Gregory (No. 1949, Excavations 2002, 02E0544);
Site 5: non-archaeological scatter of pits and post-holes, Ballynabarny, investigated by Niall Gregory;
Site 6: charcoal-rich pit, Ballynabarny, excavated by Ciara MacManus (No. 1954, Excavations 2002, 02E0473);
Site 7: scatter of pits and post-holes, Ballynabarny, excavated by Ciara MacManus (No. 1954, Excavations 2002, 02E0473);
Site 8: large circular Bronze Age house and two ring-ditches, Ballynabarny, excavated by Audrey Gahan (No. 1955, Excavations 2002, 02E0547);
Site 9: features associated with a Bronze Age house, Ballynabarny, excavated by Audrey Gahan (No. 1955, Excavations 2002, 02E0547);
Site 10: circular pit containing heat-shattered stones, Ballynabarny, excavated by Ciara MacManus (No. 1954, Excavations 2002, 02E0475);
Site 11: features associated with Site 4, Ballynabarny, excavated by Niall Gregory (No. 1949, Excavations 2002, 02E0544);
Site 12: two non-archaeological pits, Ballynabarny, excavated by Ciara MacManus;
Site 13: two ring-ditches, Milltown North, excavated by Eoghan Kieran (not reported on, 02E0567);
Site 14: two ring-ditches and three inverted urn burials, Milltown North, excavated by Ciara MacManus (No. 1979, Excavations 2002, 02E0703 and 02E0703 ext.);
Site 15: fulacht fiadh, Ballybeg, excavated by Ciara MacManus (No. 1944, Excavations 2002, 02E0542);
Site 16: non-archaeological pit, Ballybeg, excavated by Ciara MacManus;
Site 17: linear ditch and pits, Ballybeg, excavated by Caroline Powell (not reported on, 02E0704);
Site 18: prehistoric ritual activity and two ring-ditches, with three barbed and tanged flint arrowheads discovered, Killadreenan, excavated by Angus Stephenson (No. 1970, Excavations 2002, 02E0735);
Site 19: scatter of pits containing heat-shattered stones, Ballynabarny, excavated by Audrey Gahan (No. 1956, Excavations 2002, 02E0856);
Site 20: prehistoric habitation and medieval ditch, Rathmore, excavated by Ciara MacManus (No. 1986, Excavations 2002, 02E0864);
Site 21: fulacht fiadh, Ballyhenry, excavated by Ciara MacManus (No. 1987, Excavations 2002, 02E0884);
Site 22: two cooking pits, Ballyhenry, excavated by Ciara MacManus (No. 1988, Excavations 2002, 02E0882);
Site 23: non-archaeological scatter of pits, Ballyhenry, investigated by Ciara MacManus;
Site 24: post-medieval pits, Inchanappa, excavated by Eoghan Kieran (not reported on, 02E1052);
Site 25: non-archaeological scatter of pits, Mount Usher, investigated by Eoghan Kieran;
Site 26: prehistoric pits and medieval kiln, Timore, excavated by Eoghan Kieran (not reported on, 02E1252);
Site 27: large ring-ditch and four inverted urn burials, Mount Usher, excavated by Ciara MacManus (No. 1984, Excavations 2002, 02E1434);
Site 28: prehistoric pits, Mount Usher, excavated by Ciara MacManus (No. 1982, Excavations 2002, 02E1547).

Ballycurreen, Glounthaune, Co. Cork