2026:114 - Ardshanbally & Islandea (AM01), Limerick

Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS) on behalf of Sisk Sorenson Joint Venture undertook archaeological monitoring at an area designated for archaeological monitoring (AM01) during construction of the Adare Bypass, Co. Limerick. The monitoring took place in Ardshanbally and Islandea townlands under Ministerial Direction No. A000084 and registration numbers E005812 and R000730. The monitored area encompassed both banks of the River Maigue and its margins and flood bunds. There were no works carried out within the River Maigue itself.

AM01 had previously undergone testing on both sides of the river, comprising trenches placed to investigate the flood bunds and underlying sediments (Lancaster et al. 2024). Six trenches were excavated as part of the programme of Stage (i) test excavations on Section D of the project (E005678) (Hardy et al. 2025). The evidence indicated that the flood bunds were constructed using both material dredged from the riverbed and material obtained by reducing the ground level immediately to the landward side of the bunds. It was concluded that this material was highly oxidised, with the result that significant organic material, whether natural or cultural, was highly unlikely to survive. Similarly, metalwork was unlikely to survive in good condition; ferrous objects would potentially be entirely corroded, and copper alloy objects were likely to be in a poor state of preservation.

The River Maigue was also subject to a dive survey as part of the Stage (i)d Underwater Survey (Herriott & Drummond 2025), which also included terrestrial metal detection of the riverbanks and flood bunds, and examination of LiDAR data and Site Investigations logs. The results of these studies, combined with the evidence from the test excavations, indicate that it is likely that the channel of the river has not moved, and that the sediments underlying the riverbanks and flood bunds are largely composed of alluvium deposited by flooding, with the potential for former smaller watercourses to be preserved within the alluvium. No features/objects of archaeological significance or any cultural heritage remains were found in the course of the dive survey and test excavations.

The construction impacts on the flood bunds at AM01 comprised the removal of the top c.1m of sections of the flood bunds either side of the River Maigue to form piling guides for the bridge construction, with piling taking place down through the river bunds themselves. The impacted area of the western flood bund measured 32m by 4m, while the impacted area of the eastern flood bund measured 42m by 4m. The monitoring was required to identify any archaeological features/objects that may have been present.

The on-site works were undertaken intermittently from 28 May 2025 to 11 February 2026. Trenches excavated on the west and east abutments of the River Maigue embankments were archaeologically monitored, while the piling arisings were metal detected (under Registration No. R000730) following the material being laid out. Nothing of archaeological significance was recorded during the monitoring or metal detection. Only modern rubbish was identified.

Registration number E005812 was subsequently extended to include two small areas of land alongside an access road to the works where some limited topsoil removal was required in order to create wider turning arcs to facilitate the delivery of the structural beams for the River Maigue bridge. Nothing of archaeological significance was found in this programme of monitoring.

References

Hardy, C., Bartlett, T. & Drummond, R. 2025. Report on Stage (i)a, (i)c, (i)f and (i)m Archaeological Services in Section D on the Foynes to Limerick Road (including Adare Bypass). Unpublished report by AMS for Limerick City and County Council.

Herriott, C. & Drummond, R. 2025. Report on Stage (i)d Underwater Surveys on the Foynes to Limerick Road (including Adare Bypass), Co. Limerick. Unpublished report prepared by AMS for Limerick City and County Council.

Lancaster, S., Bonsall, J. & Herriott, C. 2024. Foynes to Limerick Road (including Adare Bypass), Co. Limerick, Maigue Crossing: Assessment of Archaeological and Palaeoenvironmental Potential. Unpublished report prepared by AMS for Limerick City and County Council.