2020:122 - Curragh Racecourse Irrigation Project, The Curragh, Kildare

Intermittent archaeological monitoring of excavation works associated with the refurbishment and upgrade of the irrigation system at the Curragh Racecourse Training Grounds was carried out between February and May 2020.
The refurbishment and upgrade works involved decommissioning the existing antiquated system and installing a new more efficient and sustainable distribution system. The new irrigation system involved the laying of c.8km of piping, the deepening of an existing lagoon, the excavation of a single 100m trench for piping and the excavation of small pits for sprinkler valves. As the works involved using a mole-plough technique, where piping is pulled below ground, there was no requirement for the excavation of open trenching along the entire route but rather only small junction pits every 108m.
Located within a rich archaeological landscape, the site is primarily characterised by funerary sites and monuments. One Recorded Monument, KD023-040 (Barrow – ring-barrow), is located within the site boundary and was to be directly impacted by the new irrigation system. In line with a Kildare County Council Planning Condition, and accompanying Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht’s planning submission recommendations, monitoring of all ground excavation works within the area of archaeological potential of KD023-040 (Barrow – Ring-barrow) was undertaken to identify any sub-surface archaeological remains that may have been potentially present. No finds or features of an archaeological nature were uncovered during the works at this location.
Whilst not stipulated in the Planning Condition it was considered best practice to archaeologically monitor further works associated with the development. The 100m trench for piping was subject to continuous archaeological monitoring. A number of the eighty junction pits and sprinkler valve pits were archaeologically monitored leading to the judgement that intermittent monitoring would be the most practical approach for these small isolated excavations. The refurbishment works also involved the deepening of an existing lagoon in order to increase its water capacity; this was also intermittently monitored.
No finds or features of an archaeological nature were uncovered during any of the excavation works associated with the refurbishment and upgrade of the irrigation system at the Curragh Racecourse Training Grounds.

Unit 1 Hector Street Mills, Kilrush, Co. Clare