This article is from page 2 of the 2007-04-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
THE skeletal remains of what ap- pears to be at least six individuals, possibly dating back to pre-Christian times, have been discovered during the archaeological monitoring of 1m- provements to a local water network outside Newmarket-on Fergus.
The remains and up to four further possible burials have also been de- tected during monitoring of ground works for a water reservoir at Barn- hill. Clare County Council has sus- pended work on the affected part of the site subject to the issuing of an excavation licence later this week.
An initial assessment of the area
has been undertaken by osteologist Camilla Lofqvist who concluded that the remains appeared to represent at least six articulated skeletons, with another four possible burials.
According to Eoghan Kieran of the Moore Archaeological Group, ani- mal bone was also detected in con- nection to the burials but no datable finds were recovered. Some of the burials were laying in an East-West direction, which may indicate Chris- tian burial. However, burials in all different directions were represented on the site, possibly indicating a pre- Christian date.
The archaeological landscape around Barnhill wood and New-
market-on-Fergus exhibits several features from the Bronze Age, Ear- ly Christian period and onwards. There are several Fulachta Fiadh, ringforts and Anglo-Norman castles in the vicinity, as well as the largest known hillfort in Ireland, Mooghaun hillfort. This trivillate fort is located in the grounds of Dromoland Castle and is dated to 1260-930BC.
The site, which covers an area of ap- proximately 20×30 metres, had been cordoned off pending completion of the archaeological excavation and to prevent additional disturbances.
A 2003 report commissioned by the Heritage Council reporteded that some 15-20,000 individuals were ex-
cavated from archaeological sites in Ireland from 1989 to 1998. The New- market-on-Fergus find is somewhat different, however, as the burial site was not marked.
To archaeological specialists, all such skeletal discoveries constitute a valuable historical and scientific resource, inscribed with evidence of the working life, living conditions, diet, traumas and diseases of past generations.