County: Offaly Site name: BANAGHER: River Shannon
Sites and Monuments Record No.: OF021-003 Licence number: 05D032, 05R036
Author: Rex Bangerter, The Archaeological Diving Company Ltd.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 600430m, N 715780m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.192475, -7.993555
Underwater assessment took place of a 150m stretch of the River Shannon, downstream of Banagher Bridge, prior to the redevelopment of a 19th-century mill complex on the southern side of the river. The development is located partially within the zone of archaeological potential established around the town of Banagher. A 19th-century gun battery (SMR 21:1) is located on the northern bank of the Shannon, in line with the mill complex. Further structures of architectural and historic importance include the mill site itself and the former Constabulary Barracks, dating from the 18th century and located across the south-eastern corner of the development. This structure is believed to be located on the site of a 17th-century fort, known as Fort Falkland. In addition, c. 5m downstream of the existing Banagher Bridge lie the remains of an earlier bridge structure, depicted on the first-edition OS map and marked on Hermon Moll’s 1714 map of Ireland. Despite the extensive historic activity located on either side of the Shannon at this location, the systematic visual inspection and magnetometer survey of the riverbed and attendant southern bank/quayside did not reveal any archaeologically significant material/features within the immediate impact area.
Brehon House, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny
