County: Roscommon Site name: Athlone Power Plant, Monkstown
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 22E0920
Author: Muireann Ni Cheallachain
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 600488m, N 740672m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.416171, -7.992659
Archaeological monitoring of ground disturbance was undertaken intermittently during January and February 2023. The site was heavily waterlogged and comprised an open area of formerly cultivated peat bog requiring a substantial ground reduction which was then levelled off with stone. The site had a consistent stratigraphy of rich organic peat over a stoney grey marl, which in turn overlaid a stoney yellow sandy clay subsoil. All layers were heavily waterlogged. Due to a steady slope in the site from east–west, the depth of the layers changed significantly. At the east, the peat measured c. 0.4m in thickness over 0.4m of marl with subsoil recorded beneath. As the works moved west the peat deepened to 0.7–0.8m in thickness overlying marl with ground reduction often digging only slightly into, or stopping at, this level. The site was found to be waterlogged and comprised a formally cultivated peat bog. The site was found to be entirely sterile with no archaeological features of any kind.
c/o IAC Archaeology, Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
