County: Monaghan Site name: N2 CARRICKMACROSS-ACLINT, Road realignment
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 03E0388
Author: Tim Coughlan, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 688582m, N 798932m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.932150, -6.651074
Linear testing was undertaken extending 8.137km along the line of the proposed N2 Carrickmacross-Aclint Road Realignment. The proposed route starts at Aclint, c. 6km to the south-east of Carrickmacross, and runs to c. 2km to the north-east of Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan.
Testing, consisting of a total of 22,740m of linear test-trenches across the site, commenced on 24 March and was completed on 11 April 2003. This covered approximately 6.5% of the total area of archaeological potential.
Eight possible archaeological sites were recorded. Two sites of particular significance were identified: Monanny 1, a possible Neolithic settlement; and Lisanisk 2, a ringfort with ephemeral activity to the south, including Lisanisk 1. Further sites were recorded that may represent smaller-scale, localised activity or may not be of any archaeological significance. These are Monaltybane 1, Monaltyduff 1, Monaltyduff 2, Cloughvalley Upper 1 and Monanny 2.
All of the possible sites were going to be impacted upon by the proposed development. Two sites in particular, confirmed as having high-density archaeological remains (Lisanisk 1 and Monanny 1), would be removed in their entirety.
Areas around sites identified as having low archaeological potential were opened, with a view to full resolution. These sites were Monaltybane 1, Monaltyduff 1, Monaltyduff 2, Cloughvalley Upper 1 and Monnany 2. The mitigation procedure required the full open-area excavation of sites Lisanisk 1 and 2 and Monanny 1.
8 Dungar Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
