County: Louth Site name: Townparks, Old Dublin Road/Dublin Street, Dundalk
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 10E0343
Author: Jane Whitaker, Archaeological Development Services Ltd, Unit 4, The Printhouse, 22–23 South Cumberland Street, Dublin 2.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 704502m, N 806492m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.997094, -6.406142
Testing was carried out on 26 and 27 August 2010 in an area known locally as Connolly’s Field, adjacent to the Tesco store, Old Dublin Road/Dublin Street, Dundalk. This work was carried out in response to a request for further information from Louth County Council for a planning application on behalf of Tesco Ireland Ltd. The site is currently unoccupied but was previously used as an overflow car park.
Initially it was proposed that six test-trenches would be excavated across the development site; however, it soon became apparent that there was a depth of approximately 2m of made ground across the entire site. Three of the test-trenches were opened but due to the substantial and unexpected depth of fill, which was up to 2.15m thick in parts and at least 1.7m across, the entire site works were halted.
After the excavation of the three test-trenches, and no change in the overall stratigraphy, it was decided to halt the assessment and consider an alternative strategy taking into account that the construction methodology for the proposed temporary structure may not require removal of the fill or disturbance of the underlying subsoil.
It is now proposed, and has been agreed with DoEHLG, that groundworks associated with the development be monitored to ensure finds retrieval and adequate recording of any archaeological features uncovered.
