County: Meath Site name: Straide Group Water Scheme
Sites and Monuments Record No.: MA070–071 Licence number: 07E0809
Author: Bernard Guinan, Coosan, Athlone, Co. Westmeath.
Site type: Testing
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 526432m, N 796896m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.980773, -9.113245
Phase II of the Straide group water scheme upgrade near Foxford in Co. Mayo took place in 2007. Phase I was undertaken in 2005 (Excavations 2005, No. 1136, 05E0265). The overall scheme was 9.8km long and works were largely confined to a narrow pipe trench. A proportion of the works took place in the verge along local roads while the remainder was laid in fields. The constraint zones of two monuments were impacted on by the proposed works, MA061–146, an enclosure in Cloonconra, and MA 070–071, an enclosure in Straide.
In the case of the Cloonconra site, the original pipe route had a direct impact on the enclosure. Following consultation, the route of the pipeline was moved away from the enclosure. All works in the vicinity of this site were monitored.
The site in Straide is a well-preserved tree-lined enclosure located c. 20m north-east of a local road. An area of wayleave within the constraint zone of the monument was tested. The test area measured 100m north-west/south-east by 5m and was located c. 20m south of the monument. An existing group water scheme pipe and an associated air-valve were found within the test area. A linear stone-filled cut (c. 0.7m wide) was also uncovered. While this would appear to be a relatively modern drainage feature, the area was recorded, cordoned off, covered with terram and preserved in situ. Works were diverted away from the feature.
A range of modern finds including ceramic sherds and metal fragments were found during the monitoring of pipe-laying works on the scheme.
