2010:127 - Doughcloyne/Garrendarragh/ Ardarostig, Cork

On 23–30 August 2010 testing was carried out on behalf of Cork City Council in advance of a proposed upgrade to the N25 Cork South Ring Road, specifically between the Sarsfield Road roundabout and the Bandon Road roundabout. None of the test-trenches investigated revealed any material of archaeological significance. The strata from the various box trenches proved relatively consistent and findings indicated the presence of deep to marginal peat formations over glacial outwash. The presence of a potential early Holocene alluvial fanning from the Glasheen River is suggested by the presence of substantial deposits of fine silt/clay inwash in several of the trenches. The tested remains suggests the area was poor marginal bogland from the early Holocene period up until possibly as late as the 18th century, when deep deposits of sterile stony clay were introduced over the bog in an apparent effort to level off and dry out the land to become agriculturally productive. In fact severance, caused by the construction of the existing N25 Cork South Ring Road, led to the area reverting back to marshland.