2024:525 - Clybanane, Irby, Parkmore and Townparks, Roscrea, Tipperary

Archaeological monitoring of Ground Investigation (GI) works took place for Uisce Éireann’s (UÉ) proposed Roscrea Wastewater Network Upgrade (WwNU) scheme (UÉ Scheme ID: 19/062-069), located in the townlands of Clybanane, Irby, Parkmore and Townparks, near Roscrea, in north County Tipperary. The monitoring was carried out intermittently by Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS) between 4 July and 2 August 2024.

The monitoring followed several reports prepared by AMS including a high-level Cultural Heritage Screening Assessment (CHSA), a Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment (CHIA) and a Cultural Heritage Screening Report (CHSR) which covered GIs for the entire scheme.

In line with the recommendations of the CHIA and the CHSR, the ground disturbance associated with the GI works carried out within the vicinity of Roscrea’s historic town Zone of Notification (TN012-010----) were subject to archaeological monitoring. One slit trench ST07 (later redesignated as ST08) was originally located c.50m to the east of the medieval abbey (national monument 10005; RMP TN012-010010-); however, it was later relocated approximately 177m to the east of the abbey at the junction of Malt Vale and Malt House and monitored under Ministerial Consent.

The remnants of a likely post-medieval wall running east-southeast/west-northwest was recorded in ST04. This was possibly related to Burgoo Bridge (TRPS987), which is a single-span cast concrete bridge dated to 1898 that crosses the Bunow River.

No other potential archaeological objects, features or deposits were noted during the archaeological monitoring of GI works along the scheme’s route.