2018:652 - Mountrivers Bridge, Clare

Testing was undertaken on behalf of Kerry County Council by Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS) Ltd as part of Stage (i) Test Excavation & Survey Services for the proposed Kerry, Cork and Clare Bridge Rehabilitation Scheme in advance of works on the N67 Mountrivers Bridge near Doonbeg in Co. Clare. A total of five test trenches with an accumulated length of 82m were excavated in greenfield areas in the environs of Mountrivers Bridge, in the townlands of Mountrivers and Caherfeenick South. The trenches were 1.8m wide and excavated by a 13-tonne track machine utilising a flat grading bucket, down to the top of the underlying natural subsoil. No archaeological features, deposits or artefacts were encountered in any of the five trenches.
Under the same licence subsequent monitoring of the demolition of Mountrivers Bridge was undertaken by AMS Ltd. Before the demolition of the bridge, an architectural heritage survey was carried out to record the bridge for posterity. It was during this work, carried out by ACSU Ltd and AMS Ltd, that some interesting graffiti was discovered on the concrete coping of the parapet wall on the northwest-facing elevation of the bridge. Lettering reading “FREE StAtER” had been etched into the cement when it was still wet. The term 'free stater' is certainly a reference to the Irish Civil War (1922–23), and tells us something about the more recent history of the area and the bridge itself.
Given its historical interest, the section of the parapet’s concrete coping bearing the “FREE StAtER” graffiti was carefully removed during the monitoring works for analysis, storage and future public display in the Clare County Museum. Further historical research was undertaken by AMS Ltd and an article on the piece is forthcoming.
Nothing of archaeological significance was encountered during the monitoring of the demolition of the bridge.

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