2007:1440 - Banagher, Offaly

Test excavation and monitoring was undertaken in Banagher between June and December 2007 during the construction of a metropolitan area network (MAN) as part of the Shannon broadband project. 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. 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.
Prior to development a series of three test-trenches were excavated at locations where the MAN route crossed the presumed line of the town defences on Main Street, Queen Street and Cuba Avenue. No evidence of the town defences or other archaeological features were uncovered. All works within the area of archaeological constraint surrounding the town were monitored on a full-time basis. Works outside of these areas were monitored intermittently. No archaeological features, finds or deposits were encountered during the course of this work.