2021:051 - Ballyard, Kerry

Archaeological testing was undertaken with regard to a planning application to construct a housing development at the c.2.1ha site at Ballyard, Tralee, Co. Kerry. A series of seventeen north-west/south-east orientated parallel test trenches (T1-T17), with total meterage of c.1297m, were excavated across the limits of the site. The test trenches were opened with a back-acting 13-tonne track machine using a 1.8m-wide flat grading bucket. The stratigraphy of the trenches was very similar, comprising of mid-greyish brown topsoil with an average depth of 0.3m. Protruding limestone bedrock within sterile bright orange and yellow clay subsoil was recorded at the southern limits of the trenches. All the trenches were quite shallow (c.0.2m) at the southern limits, with the depth understandably increasing downslope to the north achieving a maximum depth of 0.6m. Subsoil in the north limits varied from orange to grey silty clay with oxidised iron intrusions noted here and there.
Potential archaeological features were noted in trenches T2 and T11. Two areas (Area 1 & 2) were extended and cleaned by hand to establish the full extent and nature of these features. A possible total of 20 archaeological features were recorded within the two areas. The features comprised of 12 possible stake-holes or small post-holes, 2 large amorphous features, 3 possible post-holes or small pits and one larger pit in Area 1 and burnt mound material spread and a possible pit in Area 2. Nothing of archaeological interest was noted in any of the other excavated trenches (T1, T3-T10 and T12-T17). No artefacts were recovered during testing.

3 Lios na Lohart, Ballyvelly, Tralee Co. Kerry