2006:1016 - Dunkitt, Kilkenny

Monitoring of groundworks in Dunkitt townland was carried out during construction of the N25 Waterford city bypass (Mainline Chainage 11520–11600). The monitored area is located to the east of the existing Waterford–Dublin and Waterford–Limerick railway lines and was inaccessible at the time of pre-construction testing due to the presence of scrubby woodland. The east end of this area is delimited by a steep scarp extending down from the pastureland to the east. Construction work involved topsoil-stripping in the south half of the untested area and this was carried out under archaeological supervision. The stratigraphy consisted of a very sparse development of grass and scrub vegetation, which directly overlay the natural subsoil and areas of shale-rich bedrock outcrop. It appeared that the ground levels in this area had been previously reduced and it may have been used as a borrow pit during construction of the adjacent railway line. No archaeological features or deposits were uncovered in this area.