County: Offaly Site name: Kilcomin Church, Kilcomin
Sites and Monuments Record No.: OF041-004----; OF041-004002- Licence number: E005366 (Ministerial Consent C001073)
Author: Denis Shine - Irish Heritage School/CRDS Ltd.
Site type: Monastic site
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 602514m, N 690868m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.968569, -7.962575
Archaeological monitoring was undertaken by the Irish Heritage School (IHS on behalf of CRDS Ltd) during conservation works of the most historically significant (and degraded) medieval sections of the church wall at Kilcomin Graveyard, Kilcomin, County Offaly. This work was undertaken under Ministerial Consent issued by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht under Section 14 of the National Monuments Acts (Consent C001073).
The IHS acted as project archaeologists, as part of a larger multi-disciplinary team which included David Kelly and Partners (Conservation Engineers and Project Supervisor Design Phase) and TRUIR Construction Ltd (Conservation Builder and Project Supervisor Construction Phase). Prior to works commencing David Kelly and Partners were commissioned to carry out a detailed scope of works and prepare a Method Statement for the site, which included an archaeological Method Statement and historical summary of the site by the IHS; full consent for the works was subsequently granted on 25 August 2022. A photogrammetric record of the site was undertaken immediately prior to archaeological monitoring commencing on 23 September.
Archaeological monitoring comprised: regular archaeological inspection of conservation works in consultation with the Conservation Engineer; visual assessments of any raked-out mortars from the works; strict archaeological supervision of the removal of collapsed rubble along the wall face, either to facilitate the installation of scaffolding or as part of the overall work scope; regular inspection to ensure that the materials were stored appropriately on site; monitoring of vegetation removal on site and recording of any ‘newly exposed’ architectural features.
During the course of the monitoring no archaeological artefacts were recorded, however, a single graveslab (dating to c. 1720) was found during a site visit in December 2022, which was undertaken to monitor the re-erection of a gravestone. Several architectural features were documented at the site, post the removal of the ivy cover (particularly in the south transept wall, which included a splayed window, an aumbry and four putlog holes (two internal and two external).
Johns Hall, Birr, Co. Offaly
