County: Limerick Site name: AUGHINISH WEST AND ISLAND MAC TÉIGE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 10E0183
Author: Frank Coyne
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 526962m, N 652184m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.615982, -9.078556
Monitoring of groundworks associated with the preparation of areas for additional bauxite residue storage for Aughinish Aluminia Ltd was undertaken intermittently from May 2010 to March 2011. This phase of investigation formed part of a development whose archaeological dimensions were begun in 2007 by Nikolah Gilligan (Margaret Gowen & Co.) (Excavations 2007, no. 1114; Excavations 2008, no. 778, 07E0805). The site, located to the south of the current bauxite residue storage area, measured approximately 80ha in size, with approximately 30ha monitored previously.
The site was predominantly a wetland area, with shallow blanket bog interspersed with several areas of raised drier ground. The area was crisscrossed by drains, the majority of which had been filled with hardcore to allow for access. The Poulaweala creek, which formed the southern limit of the site, had been regulated using concrete drains covered by hardcore. One area lay to the south of the main site; this is a ridge of high ground located within Island Mac Téige townland, which had been designated a borrow pit. This was no longer to be disturbed and was not stripped of topsoil.
Nothing of an archaeological nature was observed during the monitoring of this phase of the programme of works.
ÆGIS Archaeology Limited, 32 Nicholas Street, King’s Island, Limerick
