2004:1037 - TOWLERTON, Limerick

Monitoring of topsoil-stripping in advance of road construction in Fields 1–3 of the Castletroy distributor road was carried out in 2004. This phase of the development is located at the south-west end of the project in the area to the south of the River Groody. Field 1 is in rough pasture c. 2m above the river flood-plain, while Fields 2 and 3 are located in the wet and low-lying flood-plain.

The only feature recorded within the road-take was located in Field 1 and consisted of a small oval pit measuring 0.76m long by 0.6m wide and 0.2m deep. This pit was cut into the natural subsoil and its vertical sides came to a slightly rounded base. The subsoil around the rim of the pit was oxidised to a bright red, indicating in situ burning. The pit fill was a compact, dark-brown silty clay deposit containing many small flecks of charcoal and some burnt and vitrified stones. The only artefacts recovered from the pit were small fragments of iron slag, which, in combination with the in situ burning, indicate a metalworking function for this feature.

A fulacht fiadh was uncovered at the base of the slope leading down to the flood-plain during monitoring of topsoil-stripping in a soil retention area located to the west of the road-take. This fulacht fiadh extended outside the north limit of the stripped area and there was no visible surface trace of this site prior to topsoil removal. The exposed extent of this site measured 9m east-west by 9m and 0.03m in thickness. The absence of an identifiable mound and the thin nature of the burnt material indicated that this fulacht fiadh was levelled by ploughing. The stripped area in the vicinity of this site was inspected and no further features or finds were recorded. Following consultation, it was agreed that the site be reburied and no further archaeological investigation was required.

There were no other archaeological features or finds uncovered during the course of this monitoring project.

AE House, Monahan Road, Cork