2008:999 - Nafarty, Monaghan

Testing was carried out at Nafarty, Carrickmacross, on behalf of T.J. O’Connor & Associates Consulting Engineers, in advance of the construction of a new reservoir, water treatment plant building and associated pipeworks as part of the Carrickmacross water supply scheme. The site is located on the summit of a hill on the outskirts of the town. The site is currently occupied by a subcircular reservoir, c. 16m in diameter. The proposed new reservoir will be of a substantially larger capacity, subrectangular in shape measuring c. 41m by 33m. To the immediate north-west of the site are the well preserved remains of a bivallate ringfort (MO031–009). The location of the ringfort on the summit of the hill allows it commanding views of the surrounding countryside to the east. Testing was carried out on 30 January 2008. Two test-trenches were excavated to the natural subsoil level across the site.
Trench 1 was located to the east and north of the existing reservoir and was orientated roughly from north-west to south-east. It measured c. 82m long and was 2m wide. The topsoil and sod in this trench measured an average of 0.35m in depth and was removed directly on to stony yellow orange boulder clay. There were occasional boulders within the clay. Trench 2 was located to the south of the reservoir and was orientated roughly from east to west. This trench was c. 38m long and was 2m wide. The topsoil and sod in this trench measured an average of 0.3m in depth and was removed directly on to stony yellow/orange boulder clay. No archaeological features, deposits or artefacts were exposed in either trench excavated.