2026:259 - Ballyvalode Solar Farm, Limerick

Test excavations were carried out at Ballyvalode, Co. Limerick (ITM 581575, 646538 (North), 582474, 644465 (Centre), 582163, 642805 (South). The site lies c. 573 m to the north of Oola village and consisted of 37 agricultural fields measuring c. 142ha across the townlands of Ballyvalode, Garryduff, Gortnakistin, Gortyvahane, Keelogs, Kilmacogue, Moanoola and Moanroe, Co. Limerick. The test trenching was carried out
in fulfilment of Condition 9 attached to Planning by Limerick City and County
Council and An Bord Pleanála (Main Solar Farm), respectively, and Condition 5 attached to Planning (Substation) by An Bord Pleanála, and at the request of the client. These conditions were based on the recommendations of an Archaeological Impact Assessment carried out by John Cronin and Associates (Chambers 2021).
The site contains eight monuments as listed in the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) or Sites and Monuments Record (SMR). These primarily consist of cropmarks identified through aerial photography that represent the below-ground remains of six barrow monuments in the townland of Moanroe (Coonagh By.), with a single ringfort located in Gortnakistin and an earthwork in Garryduff. There are no Protected Structures, as listed in the Limerick County Development Plan 2022–2028, located within the site, nor any other built heritage sites as listed in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH). The nearest such structure is Oola National School (NIAH No. 21817001) located c. 445m to the south of the site. The site was not subject
to archaeological investigations prior to the current campaign.
The site was subject to a geophysical survey conducted by Donald Murphy, Robert Breen and Jeanne Rochford of Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit Ltd. (ACSU) under licence 25R0169. A full detailed gradiometer survey was undertaken throughout the application area using a SENSYS MAGNETO MXV3 8-sensor fluxgate gradiometer cart system. Six fields, five in the townland of Gortyvahane and one in Garryduff, were
inaccessible to survey due to unsuitable access conditions. This survey identified potential archaeological features within Fields 20 and 21 that consist of a series of curvilinear features (M1–M4) that appear to represent the remains of ring-ditches or ditch barrows. A definite feature (M5) in Field 32 likely represents a ring-ditch or similar feature, and faint curvilinear anomalies (M6) in Field 31 correspond with the location of Recorded Monument LI024-088—- Earthwork. Scatters of other anomalies throughout the survey area are also labelled as potential archaeology (?Archaeology). These include a concentration of anomalies; curvilinear and linear responses, and small responses that could represent archaeological features such as pits, post-holes, spreads and kilns, but could also be of a natural origin.

Features depicted on the examined Ordnance Survey mapping were also detected, including linear anomalies corresponding with former field boundaries. Linear anomalies that are not recorded field boundaries were also detected, and they likely represent field systems (potentially pre-OS), drains or paths/access routes. It was recommended that the anomalies identified should be targeted during a future test trenching programme and any features exposed should be sufficiently sectioned in order to assess their depth and nature.

This test trenching programme was carried out in July 2026. Two archaeological features were found during testing, burnt spread C178.01 which corresponded to anomaly M4 in the geophysical survey (Field 21) and burnt spread C235.01 in Field 40. Both of these monuments typically date to the Bronze Age. No evidence was found for Recorded Monuments LI025-053/054/055/056 in Field 21, LI025-041/042 in Field 25, or LI024-088 in Field 31. Based on these results, coupled with the geophysical results, it is surmised, with confidence, that these monuments do not exist and it is likely that drainage channels and natural land topography were misinterpreted on the aerial imagery. It is therefore suggested that these monuments
be removed from the schedule of inclusion for the next revision of the Record of Monuments and Places. Additionally, anomalies identified in the geophysical survey (M1-M3, M5-M6) as well as area of archaeological potential identified in the Archaeological Assessment (2021) were targeted during the test trenching and did
not identify any archaeological features or deposits.