2007:1915 - Kinnegad, Westmeath

Pre-development testing was carried out between 25 and 31 July 2007 at a site at Kinnegad townland, Co. Westmeath. A barely extant ringfort was within the proposed development site. The initial impact assessment recommended a geophysical survey of the site to define the limits of the monument; however, the geophysics failed to accomplish this due to a large area of the development site having been filled in. The proposed development, which was in the pre-planning phase, consisted of a retail builders’ suppliers’ outlet. The site was located in a large field of pasture between the old Galway–Dublin road (N6) and the M4 (Dublin–Sligo motorway), on the southern outskirts of Kinnegad town.
Testing consisted of the excavation (by machine) of six trenches, four of which (Trenches A–D) were located across the north, east, south and west of the monument, while two (Trenches E and F) were located to investigate an anomaly discovered during the geophysical survey and located a short distance west of the ringfort. Trenches A–D measured 9.9m, 10.6m, 10.15m and 9.9m long respectively, 1.05–1.2m wide and 0.15–1.05m deep. Trenches E and F measured 10m and 10.1m long, 1.05–1.2m wide and 0.65–0.85m deep.
A ditch feature filled with orange/brown firm clay loam and grey/brown silt loam was uncovered in Trenches A and D (those to the north and west of the monument). Possible scarps were found in Trenches B and C (those to the east and south). The topsoil in Trenches A and C contained modern artefacts. The fill in Trench B contained 20th-century artefacts of plastic and metal. Two sherds of late medieval/early post-medieval pottery were recovered from Trench C.
The anomaly was found to be of no archaeological significance, possibly a track made by a tractor, which was visible on the surface as a band of different-coloured grass. Below the topsoil in Trenches E and F were natural subsoils. A modern pottery sherd was found within the topsoil, while a metal nail was found within the subsoil.
The remains of the monument was in evidence in the form of the ditch features in Trenches A and D and the possible scarps in Trenches B and C. These enclosed an area measuring 29.5m in diameter north–south by 29m. It would appear that the site was levelled and backfilled extensively within the last 30 years, judging by the contents of the fills found in Trenches B and C. Although difficult to be certain, it would appear that little remained of the monument, following the extensive disturbance at the site; e.g. a pottery sherd dated to the 16th/17th century was found in the same layer as plastic in Trench C.