County: Cork Site name: GARRYNACOLE (1)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: CO044-084---- Licence number: 03E1375
Author: Eamonn Cotter, for Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Pit
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 579674m, N 592304m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.082297, -8.296551
Testing in this area was carried out in 2002 by Donald Murphy, on behalf of Cork County Council, in advance of construction of the route of the proposed N8 Rathcormac–Fermoy Bypass Scheme (Excavations 2002, No. 346, 02E0713–02E0720). A number of possible features were identified. These were subsequently designated Garrynacole 1 and were excavated in October 2003. After stripping the appropriate areas within the road-take, a number of features of potential were identified. These included a post-medieval field boundary and five large pits, one of which cut two others. The pits were irregular in shape and all were morphologically similar, and were located near to each other. However, their function was not apparent. One pit contained a fragment of worked stone, and small fragments of bone were retrieved from the pits. Radiocarbon samples were collected and these will provide a date when analysed.
Full funding for this work was provided by the National Development Plan 2002–2006 and was awarded through the National Roads Authority.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
