County: Kildare Site name: NELSON STREET, ATHY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 07E0290
Author: Martin E. Byrne, Byrne Mullins & Associates, 7 Cnoc na Gréine Square, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare.
Site type: Urban; no archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 667728m, N 693965m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.992130, -6.991178
Planning permission for construction of a mixed-use development at this site required an impact assessment to include testing. The site lies immediately outside the western limit of the urban zone of archaeological potential established for Athy. A programme of testing undertaken in the adjacent site to the south did not uncover anything of archaeological interest (Excavations 2004, No. 796, 04E0071). Documentary, cartographic and aerial photographic research did not indicate any features of archaeological potential within the site and no features of interest were noted during a surface reconnaissance survey.
Four trenches were excavated by machine fitted with a toothless ditching/grading bucket, following which the sides and bases were cleaned by hand and examined. In addition, the spoil was raked through in order to determine the artefact-bearing potential of the topsoil. Nothing of archaeological interest was uncovered during the course of testing.
