2014:605 - Keadew, Lisdaran, Drumavanagh, Townparks & Tullymongan Upper, Cavan

Monitoring of topsoil stripping and trench excavations for the Cavan Sewerage Scheme were carried out at Keadew, Lisdaran, Drumavanagh, Townparks and Tullymongan Upper on various dates between April and August 2014. Monitoring of site investigations (slit trenches) had taken place between February and April 2012 and it had been recommended that all topsoil stripping in green field areas and trenching within the area of constraint for CV020-055 (Historic town) be subject to archaeological monitoring. Pre-development testing had been recommended within the area of archaeological constraint for CV020-058 (Ringfort) at Lisdaran.
Monitoring of topsoil strip along the c. 180m pipeline route between the existing treatment plant at Keadew and Keadue Lane to the east was carried out on 15 and 16 April 2014. It was proposed to route the pipeline running north-east/south-west adjacent to the small stream which forms the townland boundary with Drumlark to the north. The stripped wayleave revealed a 4m wide cut for the existing pipeline along the south-east side of the strip and just a couple of metres of undisturbed ground to the north-west.
A spread of burnt material (5m x 2.25m) was uncovered on the north-west side of the old pipeline cut and a second, less concentrated and patchy spread (c. 10m north-west/south-east), was uncovered 10m to the north-east. The burnt spreads are considered to represent the remains of a truncated fulacht fiadh. Its location on low-lying ground adjacent to a watercourse is archetypal for this monument. The wayleave was widened to the south-east to see if it was an option to route the new pipeline along the south side of the existing pipeline.
No archaeological material was uncovered and following consultation with the National Monuments Service it was agreed to preserve the archaeological material in situ and route the new pipeline along the south-west side of the existing pipeline.
No archaeology was found during monitoring of trench excavations in roads/streets within the historic town or during monitoring of topsoil strip along the c.1km green field route through Lisdaran and Drumavanagh to the south of the treatment plant. The proposed pipeline within the area of archaeological constraint for recorded monument CV020-058 (Ringfort) at Lisdaran was the subject of a separate excavation licence.

Dominic Delany & Associates, Creganna, Oranmore, Co. Galway