County: Mayo Site name: Ballina Mains Replacement Scheme
Sites and Monuments Record No.: MA030-052003, 4 Licence number: 18E0728
Author: Muireann Ní Cheallacháín, IAC Ltd
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 524021m, N 819883m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.122373, -9.162289
Monitoring of groundworks associated with Ballina Mains Replacement Scheme took place following an archaeological screening assessment carried out by Christina O’Regan of IAC Ltd in September 2017.
Monitoring was undertaken along Pound Street, Killala Road, Circular Road and Libadore Road, within the townland and town of Ballina, Co. Mayo. The scheme consisted of the rehabilitation of c. 2,300 linear metres of watermain.
Three site investigation slit trenches were excavated along the path of the existing pipeline on Killala Road within the vicinity of MA030-052003 (Holy Well) and to the immediate west of MA030-052004 (Cross). In all instances the modern road bed and tarmac surface was laid directly onto natural subsoil. The subsoil consisted of a mid-brown silt sandy clay with pockets of small stones. No archaeological remains were identified. It was noted in the screening assessment that the existing roadways are well established, with wide carriageways, the construction of which is likely to have led to the removal of any archaeological remains. No further excavations took place along the Killala Road in the vicinity of the above-mentioned monuments.
The remaining elements of the scheme were subject to intermittent monitoring. The pipeline trench generally possessed a width of 0.8m and a maximum depth of 1m and was focused on existing services. Where previously undisturbed ground required excavation, the road bed lay directly on natural subsoil.
No previously unrecorded archaeological remains were identified during the course of the works.
Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
