2018:766 - The Lady Lansdowne, River Shannon, Lough Derg Marina, Tipperary

Underwater Archaeological Impact Assessment (UAIA) took place of a 50m section of the River Shannon surrounding the wreck-site of the Lady Lansdowne. This work was commissioned as part of the planning requirements for the proposed re-development of Lough Derg Marina, Cullenagh Td., Ballina, Co. Tipperary. The survey sought to assess the current condition of the wreck and consider any potential archaeological impacts arising from the marina development works, namely:
1. the removal of the existing timber walkway/jetty,
2. the insertion of new marina berths to the east and west of the wreck site,
3. the insertion of adjacent car-parking facilities,
4. and the landscaping of the existing green space to the north of the wreck site.
The underwater archaeological assessment comprised the systematic visual inspection of a 50m section of the River Shannon, extending 10m upstream and 10m downstream of the location of the Lady Lansdowne. The UAIA was carried out by a team of underwater archaeologists on 14 June 2018.

The Lady Lansdowne is a protected wreck, under Section 3 of the National Monuments Acts 1987-2004, and has been subject to previous archaeological assessment/investigation by ADCO, as part of a previous attempt to develop the infrastructure at the marina site in 2008.

The 2018 underwater inspection has provided additional detail not present during ADCO’s previous assessment at the wreck site. The stern section of the vessel, as previously, remains visible, although the natural removal of sediment build-up surrounding the stern has now further exposed the structure, the rudder assemblage and some of the vessel’s internal elements now being visible. A detailed survey of these newly exposed sections was carried out. No impacts to the Lady Lansdowne arising from the development were identified as part of the impact assessment.

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