County: Westmeath Site name: Barrack Street, Athlone
Sites and Monuments Record No.: Within the Historic Town WM029-042 and near Connaught Gate WM029-042064- Licence number: 17E0020
Author: Declan Moore
Site type: Urban
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 603714m, N 741483m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.423447, -7.944122
The installation of a 125PE gas pipeline extending from near the junction of Cemetery Lane on Pearse Street to the Garda Station at Barrack Street in Athlone, Co. Westmeath was monitored on behalf of Gas Networks Ireland. The site is within the ‘zone of notification' for the Historic Town (WM029-042---) and near Connaught Gate (WM029-042064-), evidence of which was found in 2015 (Billy Quinn, Licence no 14E0078, Ministerial Consent number C644/E4549). The street has seen considerable disturbance in recent years from the installation of services including a water main, broadband and other services.
Monitoring was carried out over a three-week period in January 2017. The works exposed a culvert and modern services and redeposited and natural layers of orange-brown clay. The only notable feature was the discovery of masonry at a depth of 0.7m outside the side entrance to No. 2 Barrack Street. The stone work, bonded by lime mortar, was 2.6m in length (exposed width of 0.45) and was retained in situ. Previous work on the opposite side of the carriageway had identified foundations of similar construction and proportions. The location is significant as it corresponds to the conjectural site of Connaught Gate (WM029-042064 - but now classified as a redundant record).
The streets have been impacted in modern times by the installation of a significant amount of services, water, broadband, telecoms etc. Despite these works, foundations survive below ground. It was recommended that WM029-042064 be included in the next revision of the RMP.
3 Gort na Rí, Athenry, Co. Galway
