Limerick Southern Ring Road, Phase II E2106 (Site A005/2022), Coonagh East, Co.

A Preliminary Archaeological Excavation Report

for

Limerick County Council

Edel Ruttle

Job J04/20

(NGR 154315 157075)

Limerick Southern Ring Road, Phase II E2106 (Site A005/2022), Coonagh East, Co. Limerick

Preliminary Archaeological Excavation Report

for

Edel Ruttle TVAS Ltd

Job J04/20

26th June 2008

Summary

Scheme name: LSRR II, A005/000

Site name: E2106 (A005/2022), Coonagh East, Co. Limerick

Record number: E2106

Townland: Coonagh East

Parish:

Barony:

County: Limerick

NGR: 154315 157075

OS 6” Sheet No: Co. Limerick Sheet 005

Chainage: 1840 link

Client: Limerick County Council, Mid West National Road Design Office, Lissanalta House, Dooradoyle, Co. Limerick

Landowner: Limerick County Council, , Dooradoyle, Limerick

Naturally occurring geology: Grey alluvium

TVAS Ireland Job No: J04/20

Directions No: A005/2022

Licence Eligible Director: Markus Casey

Report author: Edel Ruttle

Site activity: Excavation

Site area: 146.8m2

Date of fieldwork: 17th – 24th December 2004

Date of report: 26th June 2008

Summary of results: Deposits of brick probably representing post-medieval manufacturing or distribution were examined.

Monuments identified: Post-medieval brick deposits.

Location and reference of archive: The primary records (written, drawn and photographic) are currently held at TVAS Ireland Ltd, Ahish, Ballinruan, , Co. Clare.

This report may be copied for bona fide research or planning purposes without the explicit permission of the copyright holder

Report edited/checked by: Graham Hull √21.04.08 Limerick Southern Ring Road, Phase II, E2106 (Site A005/2022), Coonagh East, Co. Limerick Preliminary Archaeological Excavation Report

by Edel Ruttle

Introduction

This report documents the results of an archaeological excavation of a deposit of bricks E2106 (Site A005/2022) on the route of the Limerick Southern Ring Road Phase II, Coonagh East, Co. Limerick (NGR154315 157075) (Fig. 1). The excavation forms part of the Limerick Southern Ring Road, Phase II, Northern Archaeological Contract.

The National Monuments Act 1930 (as amended) provides the legislative framework within which archaeological excavation can take place and the following government publications set out many of the procedures relating to planning/development and archaeology:

Framework and Principles for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage (DAHGI 1999a)

Policy and Guidelines on Archaeological Excavation (DAHGI 1999b)

Code of Practice between the National Roads Authority and the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (NRA/MAHGI 2001)

The archaeological work was carried out following Ministerial Direction given under the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004.

Project background

The Limerick Southern Ring Road Phase II (LSRR II) will extend west from the end of the Limerick Southern Ring Road Phase I at Rossbrien, to the existing N18 near Cratloe Castle. Once completed, LSRR II will form the final part of a southern bypass network around Limerick City, linking all converging routes.

LSRR II will incorporate a fourth crossing of the and will involve the construction of approximately 10km of new dual carriageway and 2km of associated link roads and side roads. The planned Public Private Partnership (PPP) project will involve an immersed tube tunnel, approximately 900m in length, linking the of Coonagh West, on the northern bank, with the townland of Bunlicky on the southern bank of the Shannon. Material extracted from the river during tunnel construction will be deposited across 27ha of ground in Coonagh West

The road scheme is in accordance with European, National and Regional roads objectives and forms part of the development strategy for National Primary Roads as outlined in the National Development Plan (2000-2006). LSRR II is a joint project of Limerick County Council, Clare County Council and in partnership with the National Roads Authority (NRA).

NRA Project Archaeologist Celie O Rahilly requested a series of archaeological investigations along the route of the new road. This archaeological work included assessment of sites previously recognised and prospection for sites without surface expression by means of mechanical test trenching. A number of archaeological sites were confirmed or recognised during this testing. As preservation in situ was not a reasonable option, the resolution strategy for these sites was preservation by record, i.e. full archaeological excavation.

1 For the purposes of the archaeological component of the road scheme the project was divided into two contract lots: Southern and Northern Archaeological Services Contracts with the River Shannon separating the two elements.

The archaeological fieldwork and post-excavation work were funded by Limerick County Council through the National Roads Authority under the National Development Plan 2000-2006.

Location, topography and geology

The site was located in the townland of Coonagh East, parish of Killeely, of North Liberties, Co. Limerick and was centred on NGR 154315 157075 (Figs 1 and 2). The field in which the site was discovered lies immediately to the west of a small stream orientated from north-west to south-east. At the time of the excavation the land was under rough pasture. The site lay at approximately 1.10m above Ordnance Datum (OD).

The general topography of the area is flat pasture with reeds, intersected by deep ditches draining into the River Shannon. A thin layer of topsoil typically overlies fine dark blue/grey alluvial clay that deepens toward the River Shannon. The ground on the north bank of the river that will be used by the road and the dispersal area for material extracted during tunnel construction has been formed by the receding Shannon and by relatively modern reclamation (Deery 2003, Healy and Hickey 2002, Hull 2005). The modern ground surface, in most of the northern portion of the road route, lies between 0.5m below and 2m above (OD). Slightly higher ground (up to 4m above OD) was encountered adjacent to the village of Coonagh, at the Clonmacken roundabout and at Cratloe Castle. In these locations pinkish sandy clay with gravel (glacial till) was observed.

The topsoil overlying the archaeological deposits was 0.20m thick. The underlying natural deposit was a grey alluvium.

Archaeological and historical background

As part of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this road project, a Cultural Heritage and Archaeology Report (Deery 2003) was commissioned. This assessment of archaeology and built/cultural heritage was based on a desktop study of published and unpublished documentary and cartographic sources, supported by a field inspection and aerial inspection of the proposed route and an underwater archaeological assessment of Ballinacurra Creek, the River Shannon, Meelick Creek, and Cratloe Creek.

As well as noting previously recognised monuments ranging in date from the Prehistoric to modern periods, the EIS indicated the potential for further archaeological deposits to be found along the road route. The following is a summary, by period, taken in part, from the EIS:

Prehistoric Archaeological research, and the distribution of sites on the , suggests that the estuary was the focus of settlement and of traffic/trading during the prehistoric period. Intertidal and dry land surveys indicate that quite significant Bronze Age populations were active along the river shoreline and its hinterland, with settlements extending far inland. The earliest evidence for prehistoric activity in the study area is found adjacent to Coonagh East where a Neolithic submerged forest was exposed in peats on the upper foreshore at Meelick Rocks (approx. 200m west of the proposed route). A possible Neolithic stone axe was also found (NMI 95E0228: 3) with a variety of animal bones on the lower part of this foreshore in peats that were dated to the Mesolithic.

The Bronze Age (c. 2300–500 BC) saw new developments in agriculture including the introduction of tillage. This period also saw new developments in ritual activity. A variety of burial monuments date

2 to this period including: wedge tombs, cairns, tumuli and barrows. Evidence for Late Bronze Age (1200–500BC) activity is also found in the study area to the north of the Shannon in Clonmacken, where a fragmented Bronze Age sword was found during the construction of the Road. An isolated cremation burial that is as yet undated but may well prove to be prehistoric was excavated at Clonmacken during this road project (E2109, Ruttle and Taylor 2005).

Fulachta fiadh (or burnt stone mounds) were also recognised as probable monuments likely to be found on the low-lying wetlands adjacent to the River Shannon. Indeed, a number of fulachta fiadh and burnt stone spreads were excavated as part of this road project. Site E2903 (Reilly 2005a) lay 250m to the north-west, E2902 (Reilly 2005b) was 175m north-west and two examples were found within Site E2901 150m to the south-east (Taylor 2008).

Early Medieval (c. AD 500–1100) An enclosure thought to be of this period is located in Coonagh (LI005:056) 70m north of the proposed route. Aerial photography in the vicinity of the site revealed the presence of possible associated rectilinear field systems, which radiate from the site in a south-south-east direction.

A circular ditched enclosure was excavated 200m to the east of E2106 during this project. E2091 produced artefactual material that dates it to the Early Medieval period (ibid).

Medieval (AD 1100–1534) There are several later castles and ‘sites of’ castles situated in the vicinity of the proposed route, testifying to the intensity of Anglo-Norman and later medieval settlement in the East Limerick area. These castles take the form of tower houses— the small, fortified residences of the gentry from the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries. Examples of tower houses in the vicinity of the proposed road on the north side of the Shannon include the site of Coreen Castle (LI005:001) in Coonagh in and the upstanding castles of Cratloekeel (CL062:018), Cratloemore (CL062:014) and Cratloemoyle (CL062:021) which lie in .

Children’s burial grounds, sometimes known as killeens (cillín) or caldraghs (ceallúrach), are patches of unconsecrated ground where unbaptised babies or victims of suicide or drowning were buried. There is a children’s/infant’s burial ground (LI005:004) approximately 100m north of the proposed Clonmacken Link Road in the townland of Coonagh West.

Post-medieval and Modern Brick manufacturing on land reclaimed in the modern period on both the north and south banks of the Shannon estuary has been recognised from documentary and cartographic sources (Deery 2003). ‘Brick Holes’ and ‘Brick Fields’ are marked on the 1841 Ordnance Survey (OS) 1st edition and these indicate the exploitation of the underlying clay. The bricks for the buildings of later 18th century Limerick are very likely to have been sourced from the area described in this report. Indeed, Barrington’s Pier (1.5km to the south-east) was built for boats to bring bricks from the Coonagh brickfields to the city in the later 18th century (OL 1976).

Brick clamps (or kilns) were excavated during this road project at E2080 (Reilly 2005c) and E2089 (Reilly 2005d) (both within 2km to the west of site E2106).

Earlier test excavations

Site E2106 was identified during centre-line and offset testing of the road route (E2813, Hull and Taylor 2005). A deposit of brick was found in a test trench and as the spread appeared to be small and insubstantial, the area was fully exposed by topsoil stripping. The site was excavated following instructions from the Project Archaeologist.

3 Objectives and methodology

The aims of the excavation were to:

1) Preserve by record all archaeological deposits and features within the excavation area 2) Produce a high quality report of the findings

The fieldwork took place between the 17th and 24th of December 2004 and was directed by Markus Casey and was assisted by Richard Oram, Michael Quinlan and Tom Varley.

The excavation area was approximately rectangular and had maximum dimensions of 14m (NW-SE) by 12m (SW-NE) and had a total area of 146.80m². Topsoil was removed by a 15 tonne, 360º tracked machine fitted with a toothless grading bucket and operated under direct and continuous archaeological supervision. The spoil was visually scanned for artefacts.

The brick deposits were cleaned using hand tools to fully define the limits of the archaeological deposit. The spread was planned, recorded and then fully excavated.

A full written, drawn and photographic record was made according to the TVAS Ireland Field Recording Manual (First Edition 2003). The site was tied into the National Grid using a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit.

Excavation results (Fig. 3, Plates 1 and 2)

The excavation has revealed evidence of undated brick-making activity.

There were traces of brick rows (known as ‘benches’) in the centre of the site. The brick benches were five parallel raised lines of brick that were orientated from north-east to south-west. The lines were 0.80-1.05m apart and measured 2.99-5.27m in length.

To the north of the benches bricks were set face up in three almost square features. The largest square measured 1.35m by 1.11m and was made up of twelve bricks. The smaller feature consisted of only four bricks and was 0.63m by 0.57m. Patches of broken pieces of brick were scattered randomly around the site.

Another feature of this site were areas of burning, the largest area located to the north-west. This large area was almost square (measuring approximately 3.53m by 3.14m) and composed of charcoal-rich material. There was a patch of discoloured clay contained within the area. The other areas of burning were also composed of the same charcoal rich-material. There was a patch over the brick benches measuring approximately 1.96m by 1.56 and another substantial patch to the north-east measuring approximately 1.74m by 1.03m. The remaining burning patches were roughly circular measuring 0.80m by 0.40m to the smallest 0.17m by 0.14m.

The remainder of the site was mainly covered in oxidised reddish orange brick dust that mixed with the underlying natural alluvial clay.

Finds

No finds were observed or recovered during the excavation.

4 Samples

No soil samples were taken from the site.

Discussion

The excavation of Site E2106 at Coonagh East, Co. Limerick has produced evidence that brick manufacture was taking place on the site. The site is undated but is thought to be nineteenth or twentieth century in date.

Site E2106 was the remains of a brick clamp with distinctive parallel rows of bricks in the middle of the site. The raw material for the manufacture of the bricks came from superficial sediments (clay) deposited by the Shannon River and was found just below the topsoil. The clay was extracted by hand, mixed with water and then moulded into bricks. If the bricks were too wet they were air dried. The ‘green’ (unfired) bricks were laid out in parallel rows (‘benches’). The benches at the site were aligned north-east to south-west and had a fairly uniform gap for the fuel to be placed in between the rows that would also have facilitated a through-draught. The direction of rows might have been influenced by the wind direction at the time of setting-out since there seems to be no conformity in the direction of the clamps. There were also slight gaps between the bricks to stop them sticking and to allow the hot air to circulate. More brick would have then been stacked on top and tilted inwards, to prevent collapse, and then the outside was covered in clay or turf. The clamp would have burned for a number of days before the finished bricks could be taken down ready for use. Clamp firing could often produce bricks that were under-fired or over-fired and therefore unsuitable for use. Waste bricks were found scattered around the site.

It is reasonable to say there was at least one clamp located on site however, it is not possible to determine if the clamp was used more than once. It seems that only firing occurred on this site. The excavation of the clay (in the form of brick holes) is perceptible in the locale of the site to the south- west and west. Moulding and drying must have occurred but no trace of this activity was found. There is a water channel immediately adjacent to the west of the site that might have acted as the transport means for bringing the bricks to the River Shannon. There is also a slipway to the south-east of the site.

Site E2106 at Coonagh East along with nearby sites E2080 and E2089 at Coonagh West were part of an extensive brick making area tucked into a bend in the River Shannon. It was an ideal location with the raw materials, clay, water and water transportation readily available. An irregular shaped ‘brick field’ is marked on the OS Fair Copy Plan (surveyed 1839) (Fig. 4) and E2089 was within the confines of this boundary. The fact that E2106 lay in an area not marked as a ‘brick field’ on this map suggests that either the clamp pre-or post-dated 1839 or that it was a small operation not on the industrial scale of manufacture seen to the west. As the site was considerably smaller than the clamps excavated at E2080 and E2089 and the bricks manufactured here could therefore have been for a single project while the bigger sites could have produced bricks for more substantial projects. It is said locally that Coonagh bricks were used in Patrick Street in Limerick.

Examples of brick clamps have been found in similar clay rich locations and have been excavated under archaeological conditions in recent years. A small clamp was excavated as part of the Ennis Bypass at Manusmore, Co. Clare where the bricks were likely to have been specifically made for the nearby ‘big house’ (Hull 2006). Semi-industrial sites (akin to that of E2080 and E2089) have been found at Dollas Upper, Co. Limerick (Hull 2003) and Clareabbey, Co. Clare (Taylor 2006).

The earliest archaeological evidence for brick in Ireland is at Carrickfergus Castle, Co. Antrim (1560s) (Pavía and Bolton 2000, 177). Brick use became more common in the mid-seventeenth century and was extensively used in the eighteenth century for the new residential buildings such as in (Merrion Square and Rathmines) and in Limerick (Pery Square and O’ Connell Street). In the period

5 from the seventeenth to the early twentieth century, approximately 500 brickyards were in operation in Ireland especially near cities and along water transportation routes (Bolton 1997 in Pavía and Bolton 2000, 179). This number had dropped to fifteen in the early twentieth century and to five in 2000.

Further work

There is no artefactual or ecofactual material requiring further analysis.

This report constitutes the final report for this site as no further work is required. This report will be edited for publication.

Further research into brick making in Coonagh as a whole will be made for publication.

A summary of the findings of the excavation have been submitted to Excavations 2005.

______Edel Ruttle BA MIAI TVAS Ireland Ltd 26th June 2008

6 References

Bolton, J, 1997, Irish Brickfields, Unpublished Report, Faculty of the Built Environment, Dublin Institute of Technology

DAHGI, 1999a, Framework and Principles for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage, Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Govt. of Ireland, Stationary Office, Dublin

DAHGI, 1999b, Policy and Guidelines on Archaeological Excavation, Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Govt. of Ireland, Stationary Office, Dublin

Deery, S, 2003, Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, Environmental Impact Statement, Volume 4, Appendix K, Limerick Southern Ring Road, Phase II

Healy, M and Hickey, K, 2002, ‘Historic land reclamation in the intertidal wetlands of the Shannon estuary, western Ireland’, Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue 36, 365-73

Hull, G, 2003, 02E0557, BGE Gas Pipeline to the West, Dollas Upper, Co. Limerick, unpublished Final Archaeological report, Margaret Gowen and Co Ltd

Hull, G, 2005, An Historical Documentary and Cartographic Study, A005/2026, focussed on the vicinity of the proposed casting basin, Coonagh West, Co. Limerick, Limerick Southern Ring Road, Phase II, unpublished TVAS (Ireland) Ltd report

Hull, G, 2006, 04E0188, Site AR101, Manusmore, Co. Clare, N18 Ennis Bypass and N85 Western Relief Road, unpublished Final Archaeological report, TVAS Ireland report

Hull, G, and Taylor, K, 2005, E2813, Limerick Southern Ring Road Phase II, Centreline and offset test trenching, Northern Archaeological Contract, A005/2009, unpublished TVAS Ireland report

NRA/MAHGI, 2001, Code of Practice between the National Roads Authority and the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands

OL, 1976, Old Limerick, The Treaty Press Ltd, Limerick

Pavía, S and Bolton, J, 2000, Stone, Brick and Mortar: Historical use, decay and conservation of building materials in Ireland, Wordwell, Bray

Reilly, F, 2005a, E2093, Limerick Southern Ring Road Phase II, Site A005/2021, Coonagh West, Co. Limerick, Preliminary archaeological excavation report, unpublished TVAS Ireland report

Reilly, F, 2005b, E2092, Limerick Southern Ring Road Phase II, Site A005/2020, Coonagh West, Co. Limerick, Preliminary archaeological excavation report, unpublished TVAS Ireland report

Reilly, F, 2005c, E2080, Limerick Southern Ring Road Phase II, Site A005/2010, Coonagh West, Co. Limerick, Preliminary archaeological excavation report, unpublished TVAS Ireland report

Reilly, F, 2005d, E2089, Limerick Southern Ring Road Phase II, Site A005/2018, Coonagh West, Co. Limerick, Preliminary archaeological excavation report, unpublished TVAS Ireland report

Ruttle, E and Taylor, K, 2005, E2109, Limerick Southern Ring Road Phase II, Site A005/2025, Clonmacken, Co. Limerick, Preliminary archaeological excavation report, unpublished TVAS Ireland report

Taylor, K, 2006, 04E0027, Site AR120, Clareabbey, Co. Clare, N18 Ennis Bypass, unpublished Final Archaeological report, TVAS Ireland report

Taylor, K, 2008, E2091, Limerick Southern Ring Road Phase II, Site A005/2019, Coonagh West, Co. Limerick, Preliminary archaeological excavation report, unpublished TVAS Ireland report

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