2024:750 - Foynes to Limerick Road (including Adare Bypass), Railway Crossings, Limerick

Stage (i)a Standard Test Excavations, Stage (i)c Test Excavations in Wetland and Stage (i)f Townland Boundary Surveys were undertaken by Archaeological Management Solutions on behalf of Limerick City and County Council (LCCC), sponsored by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), at three locations (Railway Crossing 1 – ITM 532704, 649999; Railway Crossing 2 – ITM 543377, 646055; Railway Crossing 3 – ITM 546430, 647140) within Lands Made Available (LMA) for the Foynes to Limerick Road (including Adare Bypass), Co. Limerick under Ministerial Direction No. A000084 between 11 March and 8 April 2024 with additional trenching taking place between 8 May and 31 July 2024.

The archaeological testing was carried out in the townlands of (from west to east) Cloonreask, Clonshire Beg, Rower More, Tuogh, Ardshanbally and Gortaganniff, of which the LMA for archaeological testing totalled an area of 296,352m² (29.63ha). Six hundred and twenty (620) test trenches were excavated totalling 20,025 linear metres.

During the archaeological testing for Railway Crossings 1–3, fourteen sites of archaeological interest were found. These included:

Cloonreask 1 comprising a single pit, Cloonreask 2 comprising a single pit, Cloonreask 3 comprising a charcoal-production pit, Clonshire Beg 1 comprising a charcoal-production pit, Clonshire Beg 2 comprising a possible cereal-drying kiln and associated features including a pit, four post- and six stake-holes,  Clonshire Beg 3 comprising a single pit, Clonshire Beg 4 comprising a burnt mound and a possible associated timber trough, Clonshire Beg 5 comprising a charcoal-production pit, Ardshanbally 1 comprising a single pit and an enclosure measuring c.23m in diameter,  Ardshanbally 2 comprising a burnt mound, Rower More 1 comprising burnt mound material, Rower More 2 comprising a charcoal-production pit, Tuogh 1 comprising a charcoal-production pit and Tuogh 2 comprising a linear feature with a charcoal-rich fill.

Stage (iii) excavation of the identified sites were carried out in the latter half of 2024 and each will be outlined in their own excavation bulletin following completion.

Stage (i)f Townland Boundary Surveys were also carried out on the boundaries of seven townlands at three survey sites, at the locations of Railway Crossings 1–3. These included the townland boundaries between Ballycullen and Cloonreask; Rower More and Tuogh and the boundary between Ardshanbally, Gortaganniff and Mondellihy.