2013:227 - Killoran, Lisheen Mine, Tipperary

Monitoring was carried out in Killoran townland at Lisheen Mine, Co. Tipperary in advance of construction of a new water impoundment/cell adjacent to the existing Tailings management Facility (TMF). This work was being carried out as part of the Lisheen Mine Closure Plan.

The new wetland will be located within an area of bog with a dryland margin and as part of the construction it was proposed to excavate all peat deposits from within the area of the new wetland.

Prior to monitoring excavation was carried out in June 2013 (sites 13LIS-001 to 13LIS-016 (13E174–188)); a total of 37 sites had been identified.

Monitoring of ground disturbance was undertaken between 28 August and 12 October 2013. The peat was excavated by 360o tracked excavators and removed to the stockpile areas by large articulated dumpers. The number of excavators engaged in peat excavation varied from 1 to 3 over different stages of the works. A monitoring archaeologist was in attendance with each machine during all stages of excavation works. The depth of peat varied from zero in the west of the development, where a portion of the site encroached into the dryland, to over 5.5m in areas near the east of the site which was located in the centre of the bog. The edges of the deeper areas of excavation were battered to prevent collapse. Monitoring works were completed when all of the peat had been excavated from the area of the development.

A further 10 archaeological sites were identified during the course of monitoring works consisting primarily of timber trackways and a single, large burnt mound. All of the sites have been subject to full excavation as part of the ongoing fieldwork funded by Lisheen Mine.

IAC Ltd, Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow