2010:610 - Green Lane Bridge, Clonmel, Tipperary

Moore Marine Services Ltd was commissioned by Mott McDonald, consulting engineers, to carry out testing in the River Suir at Green Lane Bridge, Co. Tipperary. The work was carried out in advance of the replacement of Green Lane Bridge between the south bank of the river at Green Lane and Stretches Island. The aim of the programme of testing was to investigate if there were archaeological remains under the current bridge and, if so, to attempt to determine their nature, age and extent.
Desktop research indicated that the general area surrounding Clonmel had been the site of continued and successive human occupation and exploitation since prehistoric times. Both the River Suir and the town of Clonmel have a rich and varied history. There are numerous archaeological monuments in its vicinity and this indicates its importance as a place of habitation and trade since earliest times. Equally the River Suir has been a major transport and communication thoroughfare since prehistoric times. This important transport medium remained important through historical times right up to the modern day.
Testing in the River Suir at Green Lane Bridge commenced on 4 February and continued until 26 February 2010. A total of 51 dives were carried out during the project, with a total of 3870 minutes spent under pressure (in water). Initially, the excavation of three H-shaped test-trenches was proposed. They were to be excavated between each of the three arches of the current bridge. Environmental, time and riverine conditions negated this possibility and therefore only two sets of trenches were excavated. These were in Arch One (the most southerly) and Arch Three (the most northerly).
During testing a large number of coins were recovered. These included a 15th-century coin which was recovered from Arch One. Two archaeological timbers were recorded in Arch Three and one was recorded in Arch One. Numerous fragments of masonry and cut stone were identified on the riverbed, with fragments of glass and a sherd of Bellarmine pottery dating from the 16th to 18th century being recovered. The discovery of such a variety of material from the entire swathe of the riverbed indicates that there are archaeological deposits present and works in the riverbed will have a negative impact on their survival.