County: Wicklow Site name: Newtownmounkennedy, Monalin
Sites and Monuments Record No.: n/a Licence number: 14E0132 ext.
Author: David McIlreavy
Site type: Monitoring
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 726244m, N 705745m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.087359, -6.115374
Several programmes of archaeological invesitgation have been carried out in the townlands of Newtownmountkennedy and Monalin within the construction site for a residential development. The site is located to the south-west of the village, bound to the north and east by local roads and to the south by the R765. An initial programme of geophysical survey followed by targeted test trenching was carried out by Margaret Gowan and Co. Ltd in 2005 (05E1423). The trenching identified a single pit containing burnt stones which was interpreted as the possible remains of a truncated fulacht fiadh.
The stripping of the topsoil across the site in Phase 1 was monitored in 2014 and 2015 by IAC Ltd in James Kyle and Faith Bailey's names (Licence no. 14E0132). No features of archaeological potential were found at this time.
The current reactivation of licence 14E0132 issued in July 2015 was in David McIlreavy's name to cover monitoring of topsoil stripping in the Phase 2 lands. Nothing of archaeological significance was identified during the course of these works.
Further monitoring of topsoil stripping in the southern portion of the development area was carried out by David McIlreavy in April 2016 within the footprint of the proposed Wicklow County Council access road (14E0132 ext.) A number of archaeological areas were identified at this time which are being excavated in 2016 under a reactivation of the licence in Paul Duffy's name. An updated bulletin will be submitted upon completion of these works.
IAC Ltd, Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
