County: Offaly Site name: BARRY MORE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 11E0455
Author: Martin E. Byrne
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 619212m, N 720628m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.235690, -7.712218
A planning application for a 40-unit residential development at Barry More, Kiltoom, resulted in the issuing of a ‘Request for Further Information’ by the Local Authority. The ‘Request’ required that an Impact Assessment, including programmes of geophysical survey and testing, be prepared. The site is located to the east of the Athlone–Roscommon railway line and much of the southern area had been subjected to previous quarrying, ground reduction and infill works. The remaining northern area was undeveloped pasture, however, comprising a ridge on the western side sloping down to a low-lying soft peaty surface in the central northern and easterly areas. There are no monuments located within or in the immediate environs of the site.
The geophysical survey, undertaken by Earthsound Archaeological Geophysics (licence no. 11R0143), detected a number of linear features across the available survey area. Many of these coincided with the locations of former field boundaries or were interpreted as geological anomalies.
Thirteen test trenches, of varying lengths and orientations, were excavated within the area of geophysical survey. All trenches were excavated by machine fitted with a toothless ditching/grading bucket, after which the sides and bases were cleaned by hand and visually examined. In addition, all the spoil generated by the excavation of the test trenches was ‘raked over’ to increase the potential for the recovery of archaeological artefacts.
No features, deposits or structures of archaeological interest were noted during the course of the testing. Testing confirmed that the detected geophysical anomalies were either associated with former field boundaries or were geological. In addition, the testing determined that the low-lying area comprised layers of peat to a depth of up to 3m. This area of the site will not be further disturbed, as the surface will be raised to provide for a grassed public-space area.
Byrne Mullins & Associates, 7 Cnoc Na Greine Square, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare
