2018:325 - CASHEL: St. Patrick's Rock, Tipperary

Cashel – Tipperary Municipal Area, undertook emergency works following a diesel spill at a delivery depot on the R505 Dundrum Road. The spill entered the local surface water drainage system that discharged into a field at the junction of R505 and local road known as Bothrín Boicht.

This spill although small in nature, impacted upon a localised section of topsoil within the field, in which the Hore Abbey is situated (TS061-024). At its nearest, the Hore Abbey is 240m to south-east of the location of the works. However, recent during archaeological monitoring of footpath and ancillary works (16E0562), a Bronze Age hearth was recorded. This 0.5m² area of charcoal-rich fill and fire-reddened subsoil was located at NGR 207143 140920, some 8m to south-west of the contaminated soil area. Monitoring of localised groundworks associated with the clean-up took place on 15 May.

Monitoring comprised a JCB with flat-edged back-acting bucket removing 0.1m of topsoil within a 4m² area of works. The topsoil consisted of a dark grey to brown humic sand. No archaeology was encountered.