County: Limerick Site name: Barnakyle, Patrickswell, Limerick
Sites and Monuments Record No.: Not Applicable Licence number: 18E0330
Author: Sean Shanahan & Marion Sutton
Site type: Testing - no archaeology found
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 552686m, N 650374m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.602565, -8.698470
A total of 22 test trenches (numbered 1 - 22) were monitored at a 6.05ha greenfield site at Barnakyle, Patrickswell, Co. Limerick, in accordance with the requirements of Limerick City and County Council Planning Ref. 18/10, Condition 12.
The site is located less than 500m to the north-east of the village of Patrickswell. It is accessed from the R562 road to the west, and is bordered to the south and south-east by the Limerick and Foynes Railway line and the M20 motorway. Topography is level to very gently undulating, with a gentle slope to the north-east and east from an elevated terrace in the south-west part of the site.
The excavated trenches were 2m wide, and ranged from 35m to 87m in length and from 0.1m to 0.75m in depth.
Stratigraphy generally comprised 0.2-0.35m of sod and topsoil above a red-brown clay silt natural, which overlies a light grey limestone boulder parent material. Bands of limestone rock were exposed just below the sod and topsoil layer in Trenches 15 and 16.
Evidence of modern spoil deposition was identified in trenches in the northern part of the site.
Modern rubbish (including farm-related rubbish) was identified in topsoil in the southern part of the site (Trenches 17 - 19). The rubbish is consistent with this part of the site being used as a former orchard and garden connected with a property outside the development's western boundary.
Ceramic finds were also present in the topsoil throughout the site.
No archaeological materials or features were found during the programme of test excavation.
Shanarc Archaeology, Unit 39A, Hebron Business Park, Hebron Road, Kilkenny
