2008:984 - Boyne River, Staleen, Meath

At the request of Nicholas O’Dwyer Consulting Engineers, acting on behalf of Meath County Council, Archaeology Underwater Surveys (trading under CRDS Ltd) has undertaken an archaeological assessment of the Boyne River in advance of network pipeworks for the bundled wastewater collection system for County Meath. The outflow pipe will flow into the Boyne River in Stalleen townland, 1.5km north-west of Donore Village. The construction methodology will consist of the construction of a network pipe trench running down to the river and an outflow pipe will extend into the river. The construction method has not yet been confirmed by the engineers but an area covering 30m on either side of the proposed pipe trench wayleave bank was surveyed. The survey also extended almost to, but c. 2m short of, the opposite riverbank in the townland of Glebe (the river flow was too strong immediately adjacent to the opposite bank and so safety reasons prevented it).
The survey consisted of visual, dive and metal-detection survey of the Boyne River where the proposed outflow pipe will enter the river and 30m either side encompassing the entire wayleave of the proposed pipe crossing. The area surveyed measured c. 62m by c. 25m. There was a small stream running into the Boyne River parallel to the proposed pipeline that was also surveyed. An archaeological site excavated as part of this scheme was located 170m south of the proposed outflow pipe. A souterrain gallery, a substantial ditch and a stock enclosure along with a medieval settlement and some post-medieval features were excavated by Mandy Stephens (see No. 983 above, 08E0456).
The survey of the riverbed did not identify anything of archaeological significance. Any finds recovered were not of archaeological significance. A metal-detection survey was carried out in the small stream but, due to the extremely strong flow in the river, a metal-detection survey could not be carried out in the Boyne. Monitoring was recommended.