2023:879 - Castle Demesne, Newcastle West, Limerick
County: Limerick
Site name: Castle Demesne, Newcastle West
Sites and Monuments Record No.: LI036-067001
Licence number: 23E0324
Author: Martin E. Byrne
Author/Organisation Address: Byrne Mullins & Associates, 7 Cnoc na Greine Square, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare
Site type: Historic Town
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 528252m, N 633583m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.448994, -9.055497
A programme of Archaeological Monitoring of the foundation pits/trenches associated with the erection of seven replacement electricity supply poles was undertaken at Newcastle West, Co. Limerick
Six of the replacement poles were located within the Archaeological Zone of Notification established with respect to Newcastle West (Historic Town; SMR No: LI036-06701), with a single pole located at Gortboy within a Zone of Notification established for a Ringfort – rath (SMR No: LI036-075); none of the replacement poles were positioned in the immediate environs of any individual recorded monuments.
Notification of the works was submitted to the National Monuments Service, as required under Section 12(3) of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, who recommended that all ground disturbance associated with the works be monitored by an archaeologist and under licence from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
The works were located within existing footpaths along Bishop Street, Gortboy, Assumpta Park and Knockane, as well as within a car park on Coole Lane.
The surface dimensions of the trenches varied in size, up to a maximum of 0.9m x 1.4m, and terminated at depths of 1.6m – 1.9m.
No subsurface features of archaeological interest or potential were uncovered by the excavations; likewise, no artefacts of archaeological or historical interest were recovered by the excavations and subsequent investigations of the spoil.