2013:394 - LIMERICK: Killalee/Singland/Spital-land, Limerick

Monitoring for the Limerick City Water Conservation Water mains Rehabilitation Works, Package 1 took place between September 2012 and April 2013. The majority of the works for the pipe replacement scheme were carried out utilising the pipe bursting method. Monitoring within the Zone of Archaeological Potential (ZAP) for the historic core of Limerick was limited to discreet excavations in Athlunkard Street, Sarsfield Avenue and Pennywell. In these areas, due to the installation methodology utilised by the contractor, ground works consisted of a series of launch and reception pits all dug along existing carriageways. Typically these pits were 2m long by 1m wide and were dug to a depth of 1.2m. In most instances the pits were sited over areas previously disturbed by the installation of the original water mains. The distance between pits extended to between 60m to 120m in length. No features or finds of archaeological significance were exposed during these works. Similarly in areas outside the ZAP nothing of interest was noted. Excavations in Patrick Street were open-cut and consisted of a trench 0.45m wide by 1.2m deep. The stratigraphy here consisted of modern fills overlying natural clay.