2004:0186 - BALLINCOLLIG: Murphy's Barracks, Cork

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Cork Site name: BALLINCOLLIG: Murphy's Barracks

Sites and Monuments Record No.: CO073-043 Licence number: 04E0460

Author: Margaret McCarthy, Archaeological Services Unit

Site type: Mill - gunpowder

Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)

ITM: E 558436m, N 571381m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.893038, -8.603874

Monitoring was undertaken periodically during the months of June and July 2004 at a development site located north of the village, on the southern side of the River Lee, which formed part of the new Ballincollig town centre complex. Groundworks requiring supervision consisted of the construction of a storm sewer culvert that was partially within the constraint zone for Ballincollig Gunpowder Mill. The removal of topsoil along a pipeline corridor measuring c. 10m wide and 512m long was monitored; no archaeological features or finds were uncovered during this activity.

The route of the pipeline cut through a stone millrace that once channelled water to power works associated with the gunpowder mills. The mill-race was located midway along the pipeline corridor and work in this area was carried out under supervision. It was agreed with the County Archaeologist that the stones would be numbered individually and replaced in their original location when work on the pipelaying was complete. A detailed photogrammetric and measured survey of the walls was carried out prior to the removal of the stones on to pallets for storage. It has been agreed with the developer that the reconstruction of the mill-race will be carried out at a future date as part of the overall landscaping of the development site.

Department of Archaeology, University College Cork