2025:118 - Corracunna, Cork

The author was commissioned to complete a programme of archaeological testing of a proposed development that will consist of a biogas facility at Carracunna, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork. The site is c. 1.2km to the east of Mitchelstown and comprises rough pasture bordered by mature trees and hedgerow situated in a flat, low-lying landscape. There are no monuments recorded by the National Monuments Service within the boundary of the subject site. The nearest monument, a moated site (CO010-053—-) is located c. 700m to the northwest of the site. There are two roadside memorials at the southwest of the site. There are no other features of cultural heritage significance in the vicinity.

Testing of the proposed development was carried out in dry and bright conditions on 19 May 2025. A backhoe excavator with a bucket of 1.9m width removed topsoil and sod and the subsurface ground was excavated by a toothless ditching bucket to undisturbed ground. The excavated ground was assessed for the presence of archaeological features.

Ten test trenches were excavated. The trench layout was designed to both target anomalies identified in geophysical survey and general overall coverage of the site.  A total of 910m was excavated although this was slightly curtailed due to the presence of powerlines traversing throughout the site. All machine excavations were continuously supervised by the applicant. The stratigraphy encountered was consistent throughout the site and comprised topsoil and sod ranging from a shallow 100mm in the western part to 400mm in depth throughout the remaining landholding. This overlays a mid-brown to white sandy natural subsoil which was present throughout the site. Nothing of archaeological significance was noted.