County: Limerick Site name: Barrysfarm, Hospital
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 18E0176
Author: Padraig Dunne
Site type: Undated features
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 570748m, N 635804m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.472883, -8.430559
Testing of a development site at Barrysfarm, Hospital, Co. Limerick entailed the excavation of thirteen linear test trenches (at 10m-15m intervals and totaling 495m in length) across the entire 0.9-ha site. The licensed use of a metal-detector was incorporated into the test trenching investigations in order to assist in artefact retrieval (Licence ref. 18R0060).
Potential archaeological activity was revealed in the western end of Trench 11, in the southern end of the landholding, where a cluster of closely spaced possible pits, post- and stake-holes of unknown date were revealed on the surface of the natural subsoil. Two of the potential features extended under the southern baulk of the trench suggesting that features of similar type may exist in their immediate vicinity.
There was nothing of archaeological significance noted within the section of Trench 11 extending to the east of the features or in the trenches located 10m to the north (Trench 7) and 10m to the south (Trench 12). This indicated that the area of potential archaeological activity may be confined to an area extending 10m in all directions from the centre point of the cluster (ITM 570793, 635643). There will be no Phase 1 development works undertaken in the area to the west of the identified features.
The remainder of the trenches within the site uncovered localised areas of modern disturbance in the vicinity of the recently constructed housing developments to the north and west, occasional cultivation activity and the fragmentary sub-surface remains of a mid-to-late 19th-century field boundary which was levelled in the past decade.
The scheme architects and Limerick County & City Council Archaeologist have been informed of the location of the potential archaeological features and it is intended, if feasible, to avoid any development works at their location and to preserve the features in situ within an appropriately sized, cordoned-off buffer zone.
John Cronin & Associates, Unit 3A Westpoint Trade Centre, Ballincollig, Co. Cok
