2025:209 - Shanbally 2, Cork

Excavation at Shanbally 2, as part of the M28 Road Scheme, Co. Cork, revealed
a series of prehistoric pits and linear-cut features which are considered to have various uses and functions.
Stage (iv) post-excavation analysis is still pending. Below is a preliminary bulletin.
Shanbally 2 is located at the southern area of the scheme in the townland of Shanbally, 2.8km to the east of Carrigaline town, 390m to the south-west of Shanbally village, and 11km southeast of Cork City and consists of three cuttings (Area A, Area B and Area C). It lies approximately 100m south of a large enclosure and souterrain (CO087‐039 & CO087‐119).
The archaeological remains comprised twenty pits, twelve linear features, two spreads, and two post-holes, spread across the three areas (Areas A, B and C). The densest activity was in Area A. A cluster of large pits and some short linear features at the centre of this area were cut by later linear features and pits, and at least four phases of activity could be discerned within the stratigraphy. These were not immediately dateable; however, metal-working waste found in some of the earliest pits
suggests a later prehistoric or historic date. Prehistoric pottery was found in a pit in Area B and similarities in the palaeobotanical assemblage from there and Area C suggests contemporaneity between the pits in those two areas. Several of the linear features identified within Shanbally 2 extended beyond the roadtake.
Eleven artefacts were found at Shanbally 2. Two knapped lithics, one of chert and the other of flint, were found in Area A. One knapped lithic and eight sherds of prehistoric pottery were found in Area B. Metal-working slag was also found in Area A.

Area A- 575216, 564078; Area B- 575204, 564014; Area C- 575066, 564093 (Cutting centroid).