2025:575 - N2 CLONTIBRET TO BORDER ROAD SCHEME, Corlattallan and Knockakirwan townlands, Monaghan
County: Monaghan
Site name: N2 CLONTIBRET TO BORDER ROAD SCHEME, Corlattallan and Knockakirwan townlands
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A
Licence number: 25E0529 & 25R0243
Author: MUIREANN NÍ CHEALLACHÁIN
Author/Organisation Address: c/o IAC Ltd, Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 667343m, N 845057m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.349742, -6.964146
| This project concerns the N2 Clontibret to Border Road Scheme, in the townlands of Corlattallan and Knockakirwan, Co. Monaghan. Several studies were undertaken in preparation for the scheme including a desk-based assessment for route options selection (Archaeological Management Solutions Ltd 2021), Lidar Archaeological Assessment (Bonsall and Leszczynski 2024) and geophysical survey (Chmielowska, Dowling and Harris 2025; Licence No. 24R0563).
Archaeological testing using a mechanical excavator fitted with a flat grading bucket and metal detection was carried out over the course of two days from 17 June 2025. Five trenches targeted the zone of notification for recorded monument MO003-044—- (Ringfort-Rath) and open green space to fully investigate the archaeological potential of the site. Thirteen artefacts were recovered during test excavations at Corlattan and Knockakirwan, all from topsoil. These artefacts include seven sherds of post-medieval pottery, one post-medieval ceramic tile fragment, three modern iron objects, one glass shard and one natural flint chunk. The testing and metal detection survey revealed nothing of archaeological significance. This corresponds with the geophysical survey and lidar assessment which revealed no anomalies of archaeological potential and the review of the historic mapping and aerial photography which showed that the test area has remained as undeveloped land since the 19th century at least. |