2004:1251 - IFFERKNOCK, Meath

Human remains were discovered during monitoring of topsoil removal for a proposed new road, which will service various ongoing and proposed developments on a c. 200-acre site at Ifferknock on the eastern outskirts of Trim, Co. Meath. Following consultations with the relevant authorities, a programme of testing was carried out at the site on 16 November 2004 to establish the extent of the burial area. Five possible burials covering an area measuring 6m by 4m had been partly exposed during monitoring. The burials are located on a slight hummock in an elevated part of a large field. As the ground to the east of the burials had been stripped down to natural, it was clear that the exposed human remains represented the eastern edge of the burial area. In order to establish the full extent of the burial area, it was decided to excavate three trenches extending north, south and west from the known burials. A tracked excavator fitted with a wide toothless bucket was retained to open the trenches. The trenches were 15m long and 1.5m wide. Only one further burial was discovered and this was located immediately adjacent to the burials exposed during monitoring. Consequently it was established that the burial area measures just 6m square and contains six possible burials. The stratigraphy was uniform across the tested area, with light-grey/brown sandy silt topsoil, ranging from 0.25–0.45m in thickness, overlying dark-grey coarse sand and gravel natural.

Unit 3, Howley Court, Oranmore, Co. Galway