2025:650 - Mondellihy & Kilgobbin, Limerick

Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS) on behalf of Limerick City and County Council (LCCC),  sponsored by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), undertook archaeological testing at a proposed Temporary Works Area (TWA) for a compound in Mondellihy townland for the Foynes to Limerick Road (including Adare Bypass), Co. Limerick and subsequent archaeological monitoring in adjacent lands to the east to facilitate the construction of a farm access track in the townland of Kilgobbin.

Archaeological testing at the TWA (TWA-13) was undertaken on 14 October 2025 under Ministerial Direction No. A000084 and Registration No. E005823 and consisted of 21 trenches totalling 373 linear metres. A single archaeological feature was recorded during the work (designated as Mondellihy 9). This comprised a burnt mound measuring 8m long by 4m wide and 0.3m deep. It was decided, in consultation with the National Monuments Service (NMS), the client, TII Project Archaeologist, and LCCC Resident Archaeologist that this site would be preserved in situ.

Subsequent to this phase of testing, the registration number (E005823) was extended to include a programme of archaeological monitoring for a farm access track to the east of TWA-13 in Kilgobbin townland. This phase of monitoring was undertaken between 20 October and 7 November 2025. Two areas of archaeology were identified in this phase of monitoring: Kilgobbin 7 (two pits) and Kilgobbin 8 (a burnt spread measuring 7m long and 4m wide) within the confines of the access track footprint. As the pits at Kilgobbin 7 presented as isolated features, it was agreed with the NMS to fully resolve these features under the existing registration number.

The first pit measured 0.68m long by 0.6m wide and 0.3m deep. It was sub-oval in plan, had steep sides and a flat base. It had two fills: the primary fill was a soft loose mottled mid-brown to greyish-brown with orange silty clay with charcoal flecks and the upper fill was a soft, loose mid-grey silty clay with charcoal flecks. The second pit measured 0.87m long by 0.7m wide and 0.09m deep. It was sub-oval in plan with concave sides and a flat base. It was filled with a soft, loose dark grey to dark brown silty clay with frequent charcoal inclusions. Environmental bulk soil samples were taken from both pits with further detail, description and post-excavation analysis of the features to be provided in a forthcoming final report.

The burnt spread at Kilgobbin 8 was preserved in situ in consultation with the NMS.