County: Clare Site name: CLAREABBEY (Site AR123)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E0019
Author: Graham Hull, TVAS Ireland Ltd.
Site type: Pit and Metalworking site
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 534408m, N 675372m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.825322, -8.973238
Four small pits, a small hearth and a deposit of charcoal-rich material were identified at this site on the N18 Ennis bypass. The features lay within 15m of each other. In addition, two small pits were recorded in the testing. No direct stratigraphic relationships were observed between any of the features, but morphology and proximity suggest a single phase of activity.
Iron slag from some of these features indicates ironworking. The small scale of the deposits suggests that the metal production/working pre-dates the modern era. It is likely that the process evidenced by the small pits, hearth and slag could date from the Iron Age to the medieval period. The presence of a major ecclesiastical centre (Clare Abbey) less than 500m to the north-east may be significant.
Ahish, Ballinruan, Crusheen, Co. Clare
