2006:1036 - Granny/Dunkitt, Kilkenny

Monitoring of road-construction works in Granny and Dunkitt townlands was carried out during construction of the N25 Waterford city bypass. The monitored area is located on either side of the River Blackwater, where the river flows through a narrow incised valley with steeply sloping sides. The west side of the valley had been impacted by post-medieval and modern quarrying activity. The sides of the valley, which had recently been cleared of deciduous woodland, were not accessible during pre-construction test-trenching. Construction work in 2006 involved the creation of haul roads down both sides of the valley and this was carried out under archaeological supervision. The stratigraphy on both sides of the valley consisted of a sparse growth of grass and scrub vegetation, which directly overlay the natural subsoil and bedrock outcrop. No archaeological features or deposits have been uncovered to date and monitoring of construction work will continue in this untested area in 2007.