County: Tipperary Site name: THURLES: Slievenamon Road
Sites and Monuments Record No.: TN041-042 and TN041-042005 Licence number: 04E0820
Author: Emma Devine, Mary Henry Archaeological Services Ltd.
Site type: Sheela-na-gig
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 612703m, N 658154m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.674407, -7.812158
Pre-construction testing took place on 12 July 2004 and uncovered archaeology of a medieval date in two of the three test-trenches opened. Underneath the modern construction rubble hardcore and tarmac of the existing yard/carpark lay the site's medieval origins. A rich organic layer containing medieval pottery, a possible pit and post-holes was identified.
A sheela-na-gig was also noted built into the fabric of the west boundary wall of the site. According to the OS letters, this came from the West Gate in Thurles, as it was known as Geata na gCoileach (the Gate of the Old Woman) and had a carving of an old woman chiselled on a stone on one of its sides.
Testing also identified post-medieval garden soil beneath the 19th-century building, now demolished.
17 Staunton Row, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
