2024:483 - 69 & 70 O’Connell Street and Western Terrace, Dungarvan, Waterford

Archaeological testing was undertaken on the footprint of the proposed development of apartments at 69 & 70 O’Connell Street and Western Terrace, Dungarvan, for Cuil na Circe Ltd. In the aftermath of the onsite archaeological work, the archaeologist was informed that the planning application was being withdrawn and that no further new works were proposed. The report was completed and submitted to the relevant authorities.

The site is L-shaped in plan with two separate street frontages, O’Connell Street to the north and Western Terrace to the east. A total of three trenches were excavated on the footprint of the proposed apartment site and carpark area. This area was formerly occupied by the outhouses and/or stables of the Old Ormonde Hotel. The outbuildings were demolished during the first phase of the development of the Old Ormonde Hotel. In addition, during the first phase of work the entire area of the yard to the rear (south) of the Old Ormonde Hotel was built up, by a deposit of trunking stone, to a depth of between 1-1.5m, as ground level falls from Western Terrace to O’Connell Street. This meant that the test trenches were excavated through the modern stone infill. Trench 1 (5m x 1m x 1.2m deep) was located on the footprint of the southern apartment block. Trench 2 (6m x 1m x 0.8m deep) was located on the footprint of the northern apartment block. Trench 3 (6m x 1m x 0.3m in depth) was located in the area of the proposed car park. The same stratigraphy was recorded in all three trenches, modern stone fill overlay orange/brown clay subsoil.

No archaeological stratigraphy, features or artefacts were recorded in any of the test trenches excavated in the yard of the Old Ormond Hotel. Modern stone fill which overlay orange/brown clay subsoil was recorded in all three trenches.