2013:378 - Lifford/Clonroad Beg/Knockanoura/Cappahard/Clonroad More/ Skehanagh/ Clare Commons, Ennis, Clare

Monitoring of ground works associated with the River Fergus Lower (Ennis) Certified Drainage Scheme was carried out over the course of several months, and concerned a stretch of the River Fergus from the western end of Ennis following the course of the river southwards through to Clarecastle. It included two branches of the Fergus within the environs of Ennis and also the western extent of the Gaurus River and its surrounding flood plain. The proposed works concerned reinforcing and upgrading of the existing river embankments as well as constructing new river embankments, river bank walls, three pumping stations and various ancillary works. Any cut stone or architectural fragments recovered were removed for storage at the contractor’s compound.

Francis Street follows the medieval route way into Ennis from O’Brien’s Castle. It is also known as ‘The Causeway’, with the title appearing on several early cartographic sources, as it originally traversed a wetland area. In the area of the development a stream once entered the River Fergus which is shown in several 19^th-century cartographic sources as being spanned by a stone bridge. This bridge and an associated wall were uncovered and recorded during the monitoring. No trace of a causeway was noted.

Two trenches were excavated at a fish pass on Mill Road (constructed c. 1857). There is documentary evidence that a medieval mill may have been situated here. Trench 1 measured 2.7m north-south by 0.8m and was 0.35m deep; it was located within the centre pool of the concrete fish pass and abutted a 19^th-century wall of the original fish pass. Trench 2 measured 2m north-south by 1m, and was 0.2m deep. Nothing of an archaeological nature was recovered from the test trenches. It was found that the floor of the fish pass consists of limestone bedrock. However, a large collection of iron cogs and wheels and bars, which probably date to a 19^th-century sluice gate in the fish pass, were recovered from the river bed, immediately downstream of the fish pass. A stone basin was noted, set into the quay wall. Local information suggested that this was a wash basin, where the local women would come to wash clothes. This stone remains in situ and was not impacted by the works.

Test trenches were also excavated in an area known locally as Fergus Marshal’s yard, on the immediate south side of the River Fergus. This site is located on the edge of the River Fergus, immediately west of the Franciscan Friary (CL033-082001-). The 1^st edition OS 6” map shows buildings and a garden area here. The 2^nd edition shows the rear of the buildings as an open area with the gardens evident on the 1^st edition now removed. Some of the buildings appear to have been removed and reduced in size since the publication of the 1^st and 2^nd editions. Interestingly, a handwritten note on the 1842 map ‘A draft and survey of the estate and property of Nicolas Westby’ notes ‘Believed to be the Earl of Thomond House’. Examination of the site with Dick Cronin, Architectural, Conservation Officer, Clare county Council has identified the rear wall of a possible urban tower-house.

Fourteen trenches were opened by machine across the footprint of the site. Three of the trenches were positioned to examine the rear of the existing 18^th/19^th-century quay wall, and to determine if it was constructed on top of, or in the area of an earlier medieval wall. Up to 2m of soil was noted, which appears to have been imported onto the site when the quay wall was constructed. Remains of the walls identified on the 1^st and 2^nd edition maps were also encountered. No medieval layers or structures were identified in any of the test trenches.

Aegis Archaeology Ltd, 32 Nicholas Street, King’s Island, Limerick.