2024:854 - Croagh 17 and 18, Limerick
County: Limerick
Site name: Croagh 17 and 18
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A
Licence number: E005737; R000730 (Ministerial Direction Ref. No. A000084)
Author: Seán Tiffin, Archaeological Management Solutions
Author/Organisation Address: c/o Archaeological Management Solutions, Fahy’s Road, Kilrush, Co. Clare
Site type: Charcoal-production pits and pits
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 541795m, N 643789m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.542328, -8.858074
Croagh 17 & 18 were excavated in advance of construction of the Foynes to Limerick Road (including Adare Bypass), Co. Limerick. The sites were discovered in the townland of Croagh during Stage (i) Test Excavations undertaken in 2024 by Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS). The work was carried out under Ministerial Direction Number A000084 and Registration Numbers E005678 (Excavation) and R000730 (Metal Detection) (Hardy et al. 2025).
The on-site Stage (iii) Excavation Services at Croagh 17 & 18 were undertaken between 28 August and 3 September 2024. Croagh 17 comprised a charcoal-production pit and two pits whilst Croagh 18 contained two charcoal-production pits.
The charcoal-production pit at Croagh 17 was sub-rectangular in plan and measured 1.58m in length by 1.05m in width by 0.25m in depth. It had five fills, which constituted two phases of use.
The first pit at Croagh 17 was sub-oval in plan and measured 0.95m in length by 0.62m in width and 0.24m in depth, while the second pit was sub-oval in plan and measured 0.72m in length by 0.65m in width by 0.42m in depth.
The first charcoal-production pit in Croagh 18 was sub-rectangular in plan with rounded corners and measured 1.4m in length by 0.96m in width by 0.16m in depth. The second charcoal-production pit in Croagh 18 was similarly sub-rectangular in plan and measured 1.62m in length by 0.92m in width by 0.26m in depth. This charcoal-production pit contained two fills.
References
Hardy, C., Bartlett, T., Drummond, R., Kelly, D. & Campbell, E. 2025. Report on Stage (i)a, (i)c and (i)f Archaeological Services in Section D on the Foynes to Limerick Road (including Adare Bypass). Ministerial Direction No. A000084. Registration Nos. E005678, R000730. Unpublished report by Archaeological Management Solutions for Limerick City and County Council.