2010:079 - TONYQUIN: Gerry’s Field, Cavan

This site is to be developed as a quarry. Planning was granted subject to archaeological conditions, one of which required monitoring of the 44.5ha site. Monitoring in January 2008 uncovered a Neolithic house, an oval enclosure and a ringfort, all of which were subsequently excavated. Further monitoring was conducted at the site in October and November 2008, during the course of which 162 archaeological features were identified throughout the site. The first phase of archaeological works comprised the excavation of 162 features, including the testing of a potential enclosure site and the subsequent monitoring of topsoil-stripping of the exclusion zone.

In addition to the features excavated during Phase I, 239 archaeological features were identified and excavated across the entire development site. This excavation was conducted under Phase II of the project and the work was carried out from January to March 2010. The 239 features excavated comprised the remains of two to three large potential structures and associated features including cremation pits, post- and stake-holes. The revised method statement required the hand-cleaning of specific locations across the site; on completion of this work an additional c. 300 features were located. Phase III, the excavation of the 300 features, is reported on in Excavations 2010 (No. 80).