2013:156 - Tyone, Nenagh, Tipperary

Monitoring was undertaken at the grounds of the Mid-West Hospital, Nenagh. HSE West obtained planning permission to undertake the provision of a new car park including reconfiguring the road layout within the hospital site to serve the new car park, the demolition of an existing stone boundary wall, relocation of the existing entrance, erect a new boundary palisade fence and undertake associated site works.  Although not close to any monument, monitoring was required due to the presence of a burial ground attached to Nenagh Union Workhouse. Human remains associated with this burial ground, which is located at the north-eastern end of the hospital grounds, were found in late 2011 as part of building works at the hospital?. These bones were found outside the known boundaries of the burial ground. The presence of such human disarticulated bone necessitated that any further ground works within the hospital precinct would require monitoring.

No human remains, articulated or disarticulated, were uncovered during the course of monitoring of ground works for the upgrading of the car park. The ground works for the upgraded car park were located c. 35m at its nearest point to the demarcated Nenagh Union Workhouse burial ground and c. 120m to the south of where the human remains were found during the 2011/2012 redevelopment works within the hospital grounds. Upgrading works required extensive excavations across the site to accommodate drainage lines, a large attenuation tank, ducting, lighting columns and perimeter wall foundations.

Much of the upper level of the site was covered with an existing hardcore, which very likely had been laid at the time of the construction of the car park in use prior to the commencement of the upgrading works. Any topsoil that previously existed had been removed to the level of the subsoil for the construction of the former car park.

The only location where topsoil survived was along the edge of the site - the area of the Contractor’s Compound, new entranceway and perimeter roadway. However, there was evidence that it was disturbed by modern waste (bottles, plastic, bricks, etc.) in some places. Where it was possible to view an undisturbed soil profile, it was noticeable there were occasional signs of regular undulations at the interface of the topsoil and subsoil. As the new entranceway and perimeter road for the carpark are outside the boundaries of the original workhouse grounds it was suggested these undulations may reflect ploughing activity in what was once farm land. The Workhouse was located in an area of countryside, away from Nenagh town.  Their regular form and depth would date these furrows from the early 19th century onwards.  It is highly likely this farmland was worked concurrently to the occupation of the Workhouse and associated Fever Hospital.

Sporadically throughout the site, lenses were uncovered containing charcoal traces and occasional post-medieval/modern waste. One feature was uncovered in the course of excavating the main drainage line in the eastern part of the site.  This feature, which cut into the subsoil and the underlying natural deposition, contained evidence for burning. It had been infilled with re-deposited natural soil/subsoil. No datable objects were found within its fill and no human remains were uncovered within it either. Due to its isolation within this archaeologically negative area, it may just be some sort form of rubbish/debris which was removed from the hospital/workhouse and burnt away from the main buildings.

Mary Henry Archaeological Services Ltd, 17 Staunton Row, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary