2021:208 - Toberscardan, Sligo

Archaeological monitoring of groundworks associated with the Toberscardan Water Mains Scheme (WMS) near Tobercurry, Co. Sligo took place between 6 October 2021 and 5 November 2021.
The Toberscardan WMS is located along the existing road network (N17) leading into Tobercurry town approximately 1.2km to the southwest and traverses the townlands of Tobertelly and Castleloye. Works for the scheme involved installing a total of 1,916m of new/replacement water mains within the existing road carriageway. The scheme forms part of a larger Water Network Programme that is being undertaken by Irish Water which comprises the upgrading/replacing of water mains and the laying of new water mains at specific locations in Galway City and across eight counties (Donegal, Monaghan, Cavan, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway and Sligo).
The monitoring follows a preliminary archaeological screening assessment carried out by AMS Ltd in August 2021, which identified two areas of archaeological potential (AAP-1 and AAP-2) within the scheme’s study area (an area 50m surrounding the proposed project route) that were considered to have a low to medium risk for surviving remains/buried objects. It was recommended that archaeological monitoring of all ground disturbance works within these two areas should be undertaken.
Works took place in AAP-1 at the southern end of the scheme for a distance of approximately 515m. Initial works were concentrated at the entrance to the Castleoye Reservoir and Pumping Station. The excavation involved the cutting of a straight-through trench oriented north-west/south-east from the junction of the pumping station to the edge of an ancillary lane off the N17. The trench measured 0.5−0.8m in width and 1−1.3m in depth. Here the stratigraphy consisted of an upper tar surfacing over a gravel foundation layer which sealed a mottled hardcore fill of stones and brown clay and infill material over the existing service pipes. Once work moved to the N17 the trench for the new upgrade water services ran along the western verge of the road. The trench measured 0.8m in width and 0.9m in depth with an upper layer of light brown-grey clay overlying a mottled grey-orange clay with medium sized stones constituting backfill for the original service pipe.
Within AAP-2 at the northern end of the scheme works involved the excavation of a straight-through trench measuring 0.8m wide by 300m long and 0.9m deep along the western verge of the N17 and in parts through the existing road surface. Beneath the grass sod along the road verge was a rough gravel material, a type of infill, 0.3m in depth, overlying the orange-brown clayey subsoil material 0.6m deep. Beneath the road surface the stratigraphic sequence comprised 0.1m of tarmac sealing a 0.4m deep layer of rough gravel and larger stones which looked to be an infill to build up the road surface, overlying an orange-brown compacted subsoil 0.5m deep.
No potential archaeological finds, features, or deposits were noted during the archaeological monitoring.

Archaeological Management Solutions Ltd., Fahy’s Road, Kilrush, Co. Clare, V15 C780