2016:551 - Site 24 (Field 16), Gunnocks, Meath

Monitoring of topsoil stripping associated with the development of a data centre at Clonee, Co. Meath commenced in December 2015 and is currently (September 2017) ongoing. The site is situated c. 120m north of the village of Clonee in the townlands of Clonee, Portan and Gunnocks. The site comprised of 14 field of pasture and 4 arable fields bound to the east by the River Pinkeen, which also forms the Meath-Dublin County boundary. Monitoring is being carried out under licence 15E0577, directed by David Bayley, in response to planning conditions attached to the development. Monitoring follows on from previous geophysical survey (licence 15R0005) and test trenching with metal detection (licence 15E0109 and 15E0028).

Two burnt mound sites (Site 1 and 2) were identified as a result of these investigations which were subsequently excavated under licence 15E0583 by Paul Duffy in February and March 2016.

A number of archaeological features have been identified during monitoring to date across the site for which separate licence numbers have been granted to undertake subsequent excavation. 

Site 24 was discovered during topsoil stripping in the footprint of an attenuation pond within the northern limit of the development site in Gunnocks townland. The site comprised a pit which measured 1.36m x 1.34m x 0.3m that contained three fills. The upper deposit comprised mid-brown silty clay and contained some burnt bone fragments and a possible burnt flint fragment. The secondary deposit comprised mottled black/orange silty clay with frequent charcoal inclusions. The primary deposit comprised yellowish-brown silty clay. Numerous singular pits have been recorded elsewhere in the development area, the nearest of which comprised that at Site 25, 30m to the west.

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