2024:764 - Luane Bridge, Castleconway, Killorglin, Kerry

Planning permission was granted for the clearance of vegetation, masonry repointing, grouting of piers, grouting of foundations and replacement of scour protection at Laune Bridge, Killorglin, Co. Kerry. The work was undertaken for Kerry County Council and funded by Transport Infrastructure Ireland.

The bridge is a Protected Structure and is listed in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage where it is given a rating of ‘Regional’ importance. The bridge is not a Recorded Monument.

An Archaeological and Architectural Assessment  was prepared  by Maurice F Hurley, that outlined the historical development of the bridge and the proposed work.

An excavation licence to monitor the removal of the riprap surrounding some of the piers and any sub-riverbed or riverbank works was obtained. Access to the riverbed was created by way of a ramp laid on geotextile and therefore there was no riverbank excavation. Within the riverbed, the removal of the riprap was undertaken by a mechanical excavator equipped with a swivel-headed bucket and therefore the stone was removed with great precision, not touching the existing piers and not penetrating to the sub-riverbed levels. When the riprap stone was removed from each pier area and the water ran clear the riverbed was examined beneath the area where the stone had been but no anomalies were noted. These areas were then sandbagged so that work on the repair of the cutwaters and a concrete scour-skirting could be formed.

The low water created an opportunity to undertake a metal detection survey (Licence 24R0384), however once the detection survey commenced it soon became apparent that the regular spacing of steel reinforcement in the apron made the exercise futile.

A dive survey licence (24D0244) was also granted to facilitate investigation of underwater archaeological material should any be uncovered/identified in the courses of the works. The visual examination of riverbed within the low water did not reveal any indications of pre-bridge masonry structures or wood that might indicate the existence of an earlier bridge.

The work as outlined above were essential for the long-term stability of the structure. No evidence of an earlier bridge was apparent in any of the locations investigated.