2012:398 - Glennameade 1, Limerick

A programme of excavation was carried out prior to the development of the N69 Bolane Bends Improvement Scheme. The site at Glennameade 1 was discovered during advance testing along the proposed realignment undertaken in June 2012 by Sébastien Joubert of the NRA (above No. 386, 12E161). Excavation work at Glennameade 1 was undertaken on behalf of the Limerick County Council and it took place between 16 and 24 July 2012. Two phases of archaeological activity were identified at the site: a burnt mound of probable Bronze Age date and two charcoal production kilns which may date to the medieval period. The burnt mound was positioned on undulating marginal ground and at the very edge of a possible turlough, the water level of which extended into the site covering part of the levelled burnt mound spread. The archaeological remains at Glennameade 1 consisted of 10 earth-cut pits, one of which was directly associated with a gully, a trough central to the burnt mound, and an outlier trough. There were two burnt mound spreads: the largest, deepest and darkest of which was centred on the main trough and measured 14m east–west x 13m x max. 0.4m deep. The other shallower, more ephemeral spread measured 16m east–west x 11m and was on average 0.25m deep. Two charcoal production kilns were identified at the west of the site. Both kilns were oval, contained charcoal-rich fills and evidence of in situ burning.

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