2004:1879 - N11 NEWTOWNMOUNTKENNEDY TO BALLYNABARNY, Wicklow

Monitoring took place during the construction phase of the N11 Newtownmountkennedy–Ballynabarny road improvement scheme from 25 April 2002 to December 2004. The dual carriageway extended for 13km from the townland of Killadreenan in the north of the county (the southern end of the Newtownmountkennedy bypass) to the townland of Ballynabarny, located on the existing N11 road (2km west of Wicklow town). The dual carriageway required the construction of thirteen structures/bridges and sixteen ancillary roads. The scheme consisted of the site clearance of 129ha of land and the removal of 200,006 cubic metres of topsoil.

A variety of sites discovered during the monitoring of topsoil clearance ranged from prehistoric settlement to ritual and industrial sites. A complex of fulachta fiadh was also discovered during pre-development testing for the scheme in Rathmore townland.

The construction of the N11 Newtownmountkennedy-Ballynabarny road improvement scheme affected property in the following townlands: Ballinaclogh, Ballinalea, Ballinapark, Ballybeg, Ballyhenry, Ballynabarny, Ballyvolan Lower, Ballyvolan Upper, Broomfield, Coolbeg, Cullenmore, Inchanappa North, Inchanappa South, Killadreenan, Killaoreman, Killoughter, Kilmartin, Kiltimon, Milltown North, Mountusher, Rathmore, Rossana Lower, Rossana Upper and Timore.

During pre-development testing for the scheme, twenty sites were discovered and excavated by Archaeological Development Services Ltd. A further 31 sites were discovered during the topsoil clearance for the main dual carriageway of this scheme by the monitoring team. Excavation was carried out on these monitoring sites. It was decided, following consultation with Dœchas, that a fulacht fiadh discovered outside the CPO line in Ballynabarny townland did not require excavation but would be surveyed. The remains of the fulacht fiadh in Rathmore townland, located outside the main road carriageway but affected by drainage works, was monitored during the construction phase.

The following is a list of the sites investigated during the construction phase of the Scheme.

Site 1: Prehistoric habitation and kiln, Ballynabarny, T2811 936, excavated by Niall Gregory, 02E0544, Excavations 2002, No. 1949.

Site 2: Non-archaeological scatter of pits, Ballynabarny, T2813 9365, investigated by Niall Gregory.

Site 3: Large pit, Ballynabarny, T279 9355, excavated by Ciara McManus, 02E0473, Excavations 2002, No. 1954.

Site 4: Scatter of pits, Ballynabarny, T279 936, excavated by Niall Gregory, 02E0544, Excavations 2002, No. 1949.

Site 5: Non-archaeological scatter of pits and postholes, Ballynabarny, T2805 936, investigated by Niall Gregory.

Site 6: Charcoal-rich pit, Ballynabarny, T2795 9335, excavated by Ciara McManus, 02E0474, Excavations 2002, No. 1954.

Site 7: Scatter of pits and post-holes, Ballynabarny, T2795 9345, excavated by Ciara McManus, 02E0474, Excavations 2002, No. 1954.

Site 8: Large circular Bronze Age house and two ring-ditches, Ballynabarny, T283 9405, excavated by Audrey Gahan, 02E0547, Excavations 2002, No. 1955.

Site 9: Associated features to Bronze Age house, Ballynabarny, T2828 9407, excavated by Audrey Gahan, 02E0547, Excavations 2002, No. 1955.

Site 10: Circular pit containing heat-shattered stones, Ballynabarny, T281 9363, excavated by Ciara McManus, 02E0475, Excavations 2002, No. 1954.

Site 11: Associated features to Site 4, Ballynabarny, T2791 936, excavated by Niall Gregory, 02E0544, Excavations 2002, No. 1949.

Site 12: Two non-archaeological pits, Ballynabarny, T285 941, excavated by Ciara McManus.

Site 13: Two ring-ditches, Milltown North, T282 959, excavated by Eoin Kieran, 02E0567.

Site 14: Two ring-ditches and three inverted urn burials, Milltown North, T283 954, excavated by Ciara McManus, 02E0703, Excavations 2002, No. 1979.

Site 15: Fulacht fiadh, Ballybeg, T2825 953, excavated by Ciara McManus, 02E0542, Excavations 2002, No. 1944.

Site 16: Non-archaeological pit, Ballybeg, T283 9525, excavated by Ciara McManus.

Site 17: Linear ditch and pits, Ballybeg, T283 948, excavated by Caroline Powell, 02E0704.

Site 18: Prehistoric ritual activity and two ring-ditches, three barbed and tanged flint arrowheads, Killadreenan, T279 043, excavated by Angus Stevenson, 02E0735, Excavations 2002, No. 1970.

Site 19: Scatter of pits containing heat-shattered stones, Ballynabarny, T283 941, excavated by Audrey Gahan, 02E0856, Excavations 2002, No. 1956.

Site 20: Prehistoric habitation and medieval ditch, Rathmore, T282 993, excavated by Ciara McManus, 02E0864, Excavations 2002, No. 1986.

Site 21: Fulacht fiadh, Ballyhenry, T281 992, excavated by Ciara McManus, 02E0884, Excavations 2002, No. 1987.

Site 22: Two cooking pits, Ballyhenry, T2815 991, excavated by Ciara McManus, 02E0882, Excavations 2002, No. 1988.

Site 23: Non-archaeological scatter of pits, Ballyhenry, T2813 9915, investigated by Ciara McManus.

Site 24: Post-medieval pits, Inchanappa, T276 981, excavated by Eoin Kieran, 02E1057.

Site 25: Non-archaeological scatter of pits, Mountusher, T2765 973, investigated by Eoin Kieran.

Site 26: Prehistoric pits and medieval kiln, Timore, T2795 035, excavated by Eoin Kieran, 02E1252.

Site 27: Large ring-ditch and four inverted urn burials, Mount Usher, T278 971, excavated by Ciara McManus, 02E1434, Excavations 2002, No. 1981.

Site 28: Prehistoric pits, Mount Usher, T2766 973, excavated by Ciara McManus, 02E1547, Excavations 2002, No. 1982.

Site 29: Prehistoric ditches and pits, Coolbeg, T279 916, excavated by Patricia Lynch (No. 1860, Excavations 2004, 03E1038).

Site 30: Two charcoal-filled pits, Coolbeg, T279 918, excavated by Patricia Lynch (No. 1861, Excavations 2004, 03E1092).

Site 31: Fualacht fiadh spread, Ballyhenry, T277 991, excavated by Ros Ó Maoldúin and then licence transferred to Eoin Moore (Excavations 2003, No. 2066, 03E1353).