2017:682 - Kilderry South 1–2, Kerry

The sites at Kilderry South 1–2 were excavated in advance of the proposed N70 Kilderry Bends Road Improvement Scheme, between Milltown and Killorglin, Co Kerry. The sites were identified during Stage (i)a Test Excavations by Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit during September 2017 (17E0442) and were subsequently excavated between 23 and 29 November 2017.
The road scheme consists of the realignment of the N70 road between Milltown and Killorglin, Co. Kerry. The realignment links to the N70 on the western edge of Milltown and then heads west towards Killorglin. The first part of the realignment runs to the south of the existing road, it then climbs to the south-west to Kilderry Wood. Passing over a hill crest in Kilderry Wood, the proposed route descends gently to the south-west into the Maine Valley at Kilderry North. The route re-joins the existing N70 road just south of Tinnahally Crossroads.
The sites were located on the north face of two long adjacent irregular fields of low grassland used for grazing that slopes slightly from south to north. A total area measuring 232m2 was stripped at Kilderry South 1 and a total area of 340m2 was stripped at Kilderry South 2.
The remains of two pits (C3 & C11), set approximately 1.6m apart, and four post-medieval agricultural furrows (C6, C18, C20 & C22) were identified at Kilderry South 1. The pit C3 measured 1.9m in length, 1.78m in width and 0.48m in depth. It was oval in plan and had a sharp break of slope with gradually sloping sides to an overall flat base, though slightly concave in the centre, and had been filled with loose mid-grey to brown silty clay containing charcoal (C13, C16 & C17). The pit C11 measured 0.79m in length, 0.4m in width and 0.09m in depth. It was also oval in plan and had a gradual break of slope and sides to a concave base and had been filled with a loose dark brown silty clay (C12) containing frequent inclusions of charcoal and rare inclusions of small sub-angular stone. The four agricultural furrows were orientated north-west to south-east and measured 0.52m in width and 0.08m in depth. They had a gradual break of slope and sides to a concave base and had been filled with a loose mid-brown silty clay (C10, C19, C21 & C23 respectively) containing rare inclusions of small sub-angular stone.
The remains of two pits (C109 & C111) and six post-medieval agricultural furrows (C104–C108 & C110) were identified at Kilderry South 2. The pit C109 measured 1.88m in length, 0.93m in width and 0.21m in depth. It was oval in plan, had a gradual break of slope and sides to an overall flat base and had been filled with a loose mid-brown silty clay (C115), which contained moderate inclusions of angular stone. The pit C111 measured 2.8m in length, 1.2m in width and 0.26m in depth. It was also oval in plan, had a gradual break of slope and sides to an irregular base and had four fills (C102, C112, C113 & C114) consisting of a mid-dark brown silty clay containing charcoal and small sub-angular stone. The six agricultural furrows were orientated north-east to south-west, measured 0.5m in width and 0.1m in depth. They had a gradual break of slope and sides to a slightly concave base and had been filled with light brown silty clay (C103) containing occasional inclusions of angular stone.

Archaeological Management Solutions, Unit 1, Hector Street Mills, Kilrush, Co. Clare.