2015:446 - Cullenagh, Cloncullane, Ballinaclogh Upper, Dooary, Clontycoe, Clarbarracum and Garryglass, Laois

Monitoring of ground investigation works at Cullenagh, Cloncullane, Ballinaclogh Upper, Dooary, Clontycoe, Clarbarracum and Garryglass, Co. Laois took place in advance of a proposed wind farm development at Cullenagh, Co Laois, located to the east of Ballyroan Village and to the south-west of Timahoe. These works were carried out by RPS on behalf of Coillte (Planning Ref.13/268 Laois Co. Co., An Bord Pleanala Ref. PL 11.242626) and follow on from an Archaeological, Architectural and Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Report prepared by Courtney Deery Heritage Consultancy in 2012. Monitoring was carried out in March and April 2016.

Monitoring of ground investigation works included geotechnical investigations works which consisted of 11 boreholes, 5 trial pits and 14 water sumps with associated hand-dug trenches. Stretches of access roads within the Cullenagh site were also upgraded. The geotechnical investigations took place at 9 separate proposed turbine sites (numbered T2 – T7, T12 and T14). Three further boreholes were drilled, one at a haul road to the north of T2, two others at a designated substation area, adjacent to T2. Five trial pits were dug at crane hardstanding areas, located approximately 30m from associated boreholes. These trial pits were to a maximum depth of 2.8m. Monitoring took place over eleven days, between 10 March and 19 April 2016 and no features or finds of archaeological significance were identified.

Courtney Deery Heritage Consultancy, Lynwood House, Ballinteer Road, Dublin 16