2016:179 - Ballymany, Kildare

During testing at the site of a proposed housing development at Ballymany, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, 2.03km of test trenches were excavated down to natural subsoil. This trenching comprised an area of 4060m² out of a total site area of approximately 37,000m², this resulted in approximately 11% of the site being tested. The majority of the excavated trenches (T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, T9, as well as the north-eastern two thirds of T1) proved to be archaeologically sterile with only occasional modern agricultural features evident truncating the natural subsoil. Furthermore, the north-north-western third of Trenches 10, 11, 12 and 13 as well as the south-south-eastern third of Trenches 11, 12 and 13 also proved to be sterile; this comprises over 80% of the site. As a result no further archaeological mitigation procedures are deemed necessary in these areas.

However, a number of probable and potential archaeological finds, features and deposits were uncovered in the central area of Trenches 10, 11, 12 and 13 as well as in the south-western third of Trench 1. These features comprised linear-, pit- and post-hole-type features, a number of which contained burnt bone and animal bone. A struck flint and a sherd of probable prehistoric pottery were also recovered from a curvilinear feature which was revealed near the midpoint of T10. Allowing for a protective buffer in its immediate vicinity, this activity comprises an area of approximately 75m in diameter in the centre of the south-western side of the tested area. This area is centred on approximate ITM grid co-ordinate 678799, 714163.  

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