2013:450 - Loughnafina, Cashel, Tipperary

The project involved the installation of a 45m gas connection from a distribution pipe along the Camus Road west to a meter located to the rear of Scoil Chormaic at Camus Road/Lower Gate Street, Loughnafina, Cashel, County Tipperary. The gas pipeline runs through the zone of notification TS061-035032, classified as a building. This building was originally identified during excavations for a storm and foul sewer network in 1999. The building, located on an access lane beside Lower Gate Street, survived as a sub-surface foundation with associated deposits and cobbles. It was interpreted as an extra-mural structure, possibly of medieval date.

Due to a misunderstanding with the contractor on site who believed that photographs would suffice, the trench was excavated without archaeological supervision in December 2013.

The gas pipe was laid in an open cut to the immediate north of this lane through the back garden of a private house. The trench measured approximately 45m east-west and was 0.6m wide by 0.8m deep. No spoil was removed from the site and the excavated material was used for infill. This oversight was subsequently reported to Moore Group by the Bord Gais engineer and an on-site meeting took place. The route of the pipeline trench was inspected along with the photographs that had been taken showing the work in progress.

Based on this evidence the trench was excavated to the immediate north of the lane where the building (TS061-035032) was located. The trench exposed a dark brown, silty clay topsoil overlying a grey brown clay subsoil. From discussions with the contractor no sub-surface foundations were encountered. The spoil was re-used to backfill and reinstate levels in the garden, No masonry or lime mortar was evident in the fill.

Moore Group, Corporate House, Ballybrit Business Park, Galway.