2008:981 - Drissoge, Rathcarran/Rathcairn and Wardstown, Rathcairn, Meath

CRDS Ltd have been retained by Meath County Council to act as the archaeological consultants on the bundled wastewater collection system for County Meath, to be carried out in eight towns: Athboy, Donore, Duleek, Kilmainham Wood, Moynalty, Rathcairn, Rathmoylan and Summerhill. This project is expected to continue until 2009. A total of 6315 linear metres of pipe was laid in and around Rathcairn and along the Athboy road. The network pipe route also followed the road towards Athboy past the Hill of Ward (ME030–001), a national monument, c. 75m south of the outer bank of the monument towards Rathcairn. The pipeline entered the constraint circle of a second monument (ME030–008), a possible enclosure in the townland of Rathcairn.
Monitoring works were completed in July 2008. In total only a viaduct, four box drains, a demolition dump and a field boundary were encountered. All these features are thought to be modern in date
CRDS Ltd were also subsequently awarded the ‘Design, Build and Operate’ contract for the scheme. This consists of wastewater treatment plants, pump stations and outflow pipes in each of the eight towns. In Rathcairn this required monitoring in advance of four pump stations, all in the townland of Rathcairn. Two of these pump stations required only the extension of pipe trench to 3m in width. For the other two stations a maximum footprint of c. 20m by 20m was topsoil-stripped under supervision. For the first of these no remains of archaeological significance were recorded. However, during monitoring works on pump station number 1 in October 2008 a possible medieval field boundary as well as a hearth and furrow/gully of indeterminate date were encountered. The portion of these features contained within the development footprint was subject to a small excavation (see No. 982 below).