N25 KILLEAGH PAVEMENT sTREnGTHENING sCHEME – ARCHAEOLOGical works ENTERS STAGE (iv)

by Jonathan Millar

The east-bound lane was excavated in December of 2016.

Rubicon Heritage are pleased to announce that Stage (iv) archaeological works (specialist analyses and reporting) have commenced for the N25 Killeagh Pavement Strengthening Scheme. The fieldwork was undertaken from 2016 to 2017 on behalf of MEIC Ltd. The project was funded by Cork County Council on behalf of Transport Infrastructure Ireland. 

The focus of archaeology on this project was the excavation of human remains outside the Old Killeagh Parish Church and Graveyard. In addition to archaeological excavation, the project also included archaeological monitoring of the construction phase of the scheme throughout Killeagh Village during 2016 and 2017.

A total of 207 skeletons were excavated during the project

The risk of encountering archaeological remains on the scheme was highlighted in a Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment undertaken in 2016 (Hanley 2016). An advance programme of archaeological test trenching (carried out under a separate contract) confirmed the presence of human remains beneath the road surface outside the Old Killeagh Graveyard (Noonan and Hegarty 2016).

Archaeologist James Byrne records the location of archaeological remains using an RTK GPS surveying instrument.

The west-bound lane was excavated in January and February of 2017

​The subsequent excavation of the identified remains revealed a total of 207 burials, in addition to various archaeological features including boundary ditches and walls, with evidence for metalworking activity also identified.

Returned radiocarbon (C14) dates taken from selected samples during the project have established dates from the 6th century AD to the 1600s.

​The excavation was divided into two areas located on either side of the road carriageway to facilitate the flow of traffic through the village for the duration of the works. 

The final report detailing the results of the excavation and specialist analyses undertaken on the human remains, artefacts and samples is expected to be issued later this year.

A team of osteologists (specialists in the study and analysis of human bone) were present on-site during the excavations

​Hanley, K. 2016 N25 Killeagh Pavement Strengthening Scheme, Co. Cork - Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment. Unpublished report for Cork County Council.
 
Noonan, D. and Hegarty, D. 2016 Interim Archaeological Testing Report, Targeted Testing Outside Old Killeagh Graveyard (RMP CO066-041001), N25 Killeagh Pavement Strengthening Scheme. Unpublished report for Cork County Council.