County: Kildare Site name: CORBALLY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: KD023-113 and KD023-113001 Licence number: 03E1752 ext.
Author: Frank Coyne, Aegis Archaeology Ltd.
Site type: Moated site and Burial ground
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 684765m, N 712271m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.154189, -6.732661
This was the second season of excavation at this site, located in the townland of Corbally, on the edge of a brownstone sand and gravel pit, c. 2km to the northeast of Kilcullen, Co. Kildare. The site was bisected by a modern west-east field boundary. The first season of excavation (Excavations 2003, No. 907, 03E1752) concentrated on the southern half of the site, while the current season concentrated on the northern portion. This part of the site was previously subject to testing (No. 817, Excavations 2004, 04E0658). The southern half of the site had been quarried by the time of the second season.
During the second season seven skeletons were excavated inside the northern portion of the site, which also contained a series of internal ditches, a possible circular structure and the remains of a possible rectangular house. These were all contained within a continuation of the enclosing ditch from the excavated southern side of the site. This ditch measured 5–6m in width, was up to 2m deep and enclosed an area measuring c. 45m by 50m.
A complex intercutting series of wide ditches was also excavated on the northern side of the site, of similar size and shape to the enclosing ditch of the main site, as well as a series of smaller ditch and drain features. A possible sunken house was also excavated to the east of the main enclosure. Large quantities of animal bones were recovered throughout the site.
16 Avondale Court, Corbally, Limerick
