2025:566 - Friar Street (Garryvicleheen), Thurles, Tipperary

Planning permission was obtained for a change of use of an existing office space to a childcare facility, build an extension and undertake all associated site works at Friar Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. As part of granted planning permission it was conditioned that ground works associated with the development be subject to archaeological monitoring due to the works being within the constraint area for the Historic Town of Thurles (TN041- 042).

The development site is located to the west of the historic town, in the west part of the zone of archaeological potential for the town. Located c. 200m to the west of the projected western circuit of the walled town and the location of the West Gate, the development site may be within an extra-mural suburb where there were no defences.

Dating to c. 1895, the property comprises a corner-sited end-of-terrace, four-bay two-storey house with extensions, a tarred yard/driveway and lawned garden to the rear. An existing rear extension was demolished to accommodate the new construct. Almost 10.5m long and a maximum width of almost 9m, the new extension occupied a footprint slightly larger than the demolished one.  Foundations for the new extension comprised three pads along the west side and a strip foundation along the east and part south side of the extension site.  This strip foundation followed the corridor of a sewer pipe which was made defunct.

New services were laid from the south-east end of the new extension, through the garden and terminated at an existing manhole. Replacing a functioning earthenware piping, the new trench followed the existing pipeline corridor.

No archaeological features and/or remains were uncovered in the course of monitoring ground works associated with the change of use, building an extension and associated site works.