County: Limerick Site name: Skehacreggaun
Sites and Monuments Record No.: LI013-242001 Licence number: 20E0317
Author: John Kavanagh
Site type: Souterrain
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 554122m, N 654313m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.638089, -8.677820
A pre-planning archaeological assessment was carried out for a residential development located at ‘Cois Na Cille’, Skehacreggaun, Mungret, County Limerick. The proposed development site will cover 4.9ha and will consist of c.205 units on a greenfield site. The development is located within the zone of archaeological potential of Mungret Abbey (RMP LI013-009) to the south-east and a range of prehistoric and medieval archaeological sites to the east, excavated between 2004 and 2022 (RMP LI013-226).
A previous test excavation was carried out by Goorik Dehane in 2007. A total of 15 test trenches were excavated across the site. Overall 8 groups containing 38 features of archaeological potential were found during testing. These included 26 pits, 10 linear features, a possible corn-drying kiln and a souterrain.
The aim of the excavation was to investigate the nature and extent of the souterrain. The entrance drophole was 1.25m in diameter with roughly hewn unbonded limestone placed in a circle around the opening. The limited excavation revealed it was at least three courses deep. There was an opening in the north side with a large flat limestone block placed on top. Within the tightly confined space of the opening, at least three courses of limestone blocks were visible forming the walls on each side of the passageway. The passageway itself was filled with soil and stone fragments which were left in situ.
No archaeological deposits were exposed or excavated as it was outside the scope of this investigation. There was no evidence to suggest that the souterrain passageway extended more than 3-4m further north from the drophole. No additional features were identified.
Ryegrass, Carrigeen North, Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow
