2023:696 - Presentation Convent, Convent Lane, Fethard, Tipperary

Archaeological monitoring was undertaken within the grounds of the former Presentation Convent, Convent Lane, Fethard. These works entailed the laying of ESB ducting and the erection of a pole. As part of the emergency works a kitchen had to be upgraded requiring 3-phase power. To necessitate these works, a pole had to be erected at a new location and new ducting laid from the new pole site to the kitchen. This pole was sited within the western part of the grounds of the former convent, with the duct extending to the kitchen in the north-west quadrant of the convent building.

The proposed works are within the confines of the constraint area for the historic town of Fethard (TS070-040). Furthermore, a well-preserved section of the medieval town wall extends within the grounds of the convent; c. 10m to the south of the front of the convent building.

All works were sited extra-mural to the medieval town defences, with the new pole sited 12m to the north of the town wall and the ducting extending in an approximate north direction away from the town wall before turning eastwards to access the west end of the convent building where trenching terminated. Just in excess of 50m of trenching was undertaken with more than half on a lawn to the west of the former convent building. This lawned area was part of the Presentation Convent School, a large, detached building, which stood at right angles to the main convent building and was demolished c. 45 years previously. The remainder of the trenching was opened beside the convent building and sheds, on concrete surfaces.

No archaeological features and/or remains were uncovered in the course of monitoring the ground works. In the lawned section an extensive demolition layer was exposed beneath imported topsoil and made up-ground. This demolition layer, with an average thickness of 400mm, was from the demolished school building. It extended to a dark grey/brown mottled sandy silty clay which was exposed at the base of the trench which contained traces of crushed mortar, flecks of red brick and charcoal. At the south end of the trench was the location for the new ESB pole. The area excavated for the pole had similar stratigraphy to the trench sited on the lawn.

Within the concrete surfaced part of the site, the remains of a cobbled surface, 180mm below ground level (bgl) and 4m long, was uncovered. However, this surface had been damaged/removed by previous laying of utility services. A dark brown clay occurred beneath the cobbled surface, with the natural deposition occurring at shallow levels, 300-500mm bgl. Elsewhere the stratigraphy comprised mixed/disturbed ground overlying the natural deposition.

17 Staunton Row, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary