2007:1137 - Newcastle West, Limerick

Pre-development testing was carried out in advance of the Newcastle West broadband project on 12 November 2007. The excavation phase of the project involved the opening of a series of trenches throughout the town centre and its surrounding hinterland. All of the trenches were located along roads, either in the carriageway proper or the adjoining verge or footpath. There were no river crossings other than at existing bridges. The trenches were 0.6m wide and excavated to a standard depth of 0.9m in carriageways and 0.6m in verges/footpaths. Junction boxes (1.25m2) were excavated where two or more trenches intersected and at regular intervals along long straight sections. All of the works within the area of archaeological constraint surrounding the historic town and other recorded monuments were monitored on a full-time basis. The remainder of the works were subject to intermittent monitoring.
Testing was carried out on the south side of Market Square, where the development passes in the vicinity of Desmond Banqueting Hall, part of the Desmond Castle complex. Two trenches measuring 5m long and 0.75m wide were opened along the route of the proposed broadband trench. The roof of a box culvert was uncovered at a depth of 0.3m in both trenches. No archaeological material was uncovered during testing. The broadband trench was subsequently rerouted in order to avoid impacting on the culvert.