County: Clare Site name: Shantraud 3
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E005308
Author: Bruce Sutton for Rubicon Heritage
Site type: Prehistoric pits and townland boundary
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 569350m, N 672808m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.805388, -8.454570
Excavation by Rubicon Heritage Ltd at Shantraud 3 was undertaken as part of the Killaloe Bypass, Shannon Crossing and R494 Improvements Scheme, Archaeological Consultancy Services Contract (Phase 2). The excavation was carried out on behalf of, and funded by, Clare County Council.
Activity at Shantraud 3 was represented by three pits, C010, C011 and C018. No finds were retrieved from these features. Radiocarbon dates obtained from fills of pits C011 and C018 indicate two prehistoric phases of activity at this site, firstly in the Middle Neolithic around 3346- 3100 cal BC (SUERC-111410; 4503±21 BP) and secondly in the Early Iron Age between 726-402 cal BC (SUERC-111406; 2409±24 BP). These features indicate activity in this area of millennia. Similar evidence was seen along the Killaloe Bypass, Shannon Crossing and R494 Improvements Scheme at Knockyclovaun 3 (E5279) and Knockyclovaun 4 (E5280).
A third phase of activity at Shantraud 3 was represented by two parallel ditches which form part of the townland boundary between the townlands of Creeveroe and Shantraud. The townland boundary is clearly marked on the 6” and 25” historical maps of 1842 and 1895. It is located within Mount Prospect demesne lands but does not follow any visible field boundary on the historical maps. This may indicate that the line of this townland boundary pre-dates the formation of the demesne which dates to at least 1814 (Landed Estates Database 2011).
Analysis of charcoal samples showed an assemblage dominated by oak with a small number of fragments representing ash, fruit tree-type and hazel, suggesting woodfuel resourced from a mixed deciduous woodland. Specialist analysis revealed small quantities wild fruit/nut and weed seeds.
Unit 2, Europa Business Park, Midleton, Co. Cork, P25 TV25
