County: Meath Site name: Ballybeg 2
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A029/015; E3133
Author: Patricia Lynch, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Post-medieval stone deposit
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 678082m, N 771794m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.690023, -6.817807
This site was located within Contract 4 (Navan–Kells and Kells bypass) of the M3 Clonee to North of Kells motorway scheme and was identified during testing carried out by Jo Ronayne (IAC Ltd) in 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 1287, 04E0922). It was excavated between 21 August and 15 September 2006 and two alignments of stone deposits were identified. One (13m by 2m by 0.25m), located at the north-west end of the site, was linear, orientated north-west/south-east and contained modern china clay pipes. The second (2.5m by 1.2m by 0.22m), located at the south-eastern end of the site, was north-east/south-west-aligned and perpendicular to the other and also contained modern pottery and a clay pipe, as well as metal fragments. Both were interpreted as post-medieval stone paths.
Both features were bounded by two modern field drains/boundaries that also contained modern pottery, glass and clay pipe. To the west of the first stone deposit, a natural depression in the subsoil was filled with stone. This appeared to be the result of field-clearance activity. It also contained modern pottery, glass and a clay pipe. Modern agricultural furrows were also identified.
This work was funded by Meath County Council and the National Roads Authority.
Editor’s note: Although excavated during 2006, the report on this site arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.
