County: Meath Site name: DRUMREE/JOHNSTOWN (Testing Area 19)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E0481
Author: Tara O'Neill, Archaeological Consultancy Services
Site type: Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 695013m, N 751442m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.504385, -6.567741
An assessment was carried out in advance of the planned M3 Clonee–North of Kells PPP scheme, Co. Meath, on the Clonee–Dunshaughlin section (Contract 1) between February and June 2004. This section of the scheme consists of c. 14.2km of motorway and a further c. 14km of link roads and additional side roads. The EIS recommended testing any known or possible sites identified and Meath County Council further proposed to test the whole of the remainder of the route. For the purposes of testing, this section was divided into 26 testing areas. The assessment methodology generally consisted of mechanically excavating 2m-wide test-trenches along the centre-line and perpendicular to the centre-line to the edge of the land-take every 20m. The work was carried out on behalf of Meath County Council, the National Roads Design Office and the National Roads Authority.
Sixty-six test-trenches were excavated in Testing Area 19. One area of possible archaeological significance was identified that will be impacted upon by the proposed development. This was a fulacht fiadh. The burnt mound measured 6m by 8m. This site has been designated Drumree 1.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
