Introduction The development of the Limerick Main Drainage Scheme has necessitated the undertaking of a large-scale archaeological project by Margaret Gowen & Company in the heart of Limerick city over the past year and a half. The scale and location of the construction of the new Interceptor Sewer Scheme required a planned and innovative approach to the archaeological mitigation. This approach included a detailed pre-development archaeological study of the city and environs that led to subsequent alterations to design details of the drainage scheme. It was necessary to develop techniques of excavation in semi-dry sections of the riverbed, to co-ordinate the programming of the archaeological and construction operations and to undertake sampling of archaeobotanical remains in association with archaeological deposits and at locations where palaeobotanical remains survived in isolation, such as at Bunlicky.
The work to date demonstrates how the pre-development assessment of the project defined the focus and scope of the archaeological response. The early results include the identification of a new ‘longphort’ during field-walking in advance of construction. The proposed pipeline has now been altered to avoid this site. The archaeological excavation of manhole shafts along the city’s quays at Broad Street and George’s Quay uncovered the medieval town wall and bridge and resulted in the relocation of manhole shafts and sewers. The analysis of the results of these excavations in tandem with environmental studies (beatles and seeds) has aided our understanding of the growth and development of the city at its vital link between the Irish town and the English town. The development of the drainage scheme pipelines around the rural hinterland of Limerick has resulted in two new archaeological sites being excavated at Rathbane South and Banemore.
The Abbey River has also produced a substantial and remarkable collection of archaeological artefacts (about 5,000). The post-excavation project is ongoing, but many notable artefacts have already been identified. They include a possible late Iron Age horse bit and pin; a Viking strap end, coin and zoomorphic mount; and a small quantity of locally manufactured and imported medieval pottery. About 150 medieval and early post-medieval coins have been recovered. A bone needle case, medieval and post-medieval finger rings, an iron shafthole axe and iron horse bits have been identified. A large number of objects dating from the Siege of Limerick, including iron and stone cannon and musket balls of various sizes, complete iron mortar bombs containing gunpowder and fuses, iron bayonets, spurs, buttons and coins (Jacobite gun money) have been retrieved. Many gun flints have also been recovered. A pike thought to be from the 1798 rebellion and several revolvers, bullets and a grenade from the Civil War of 1922 are among the retrieved artefacts. Other striking finds include a Limerick Port seal dating to c. 1600 and an officer’s sword hilt, likely to date from the Williamite wars.
Below are some examples of the finds catalogued to date (drawings by Simon Dick and Kicki Olander). Click on the image to get an enlarged view.
construction of the new Interceptor Sewer Scheme required a planned and innovative approach to the archaeological mitigation. This approach included a detailed pre-development archaeological study of the city and environs that led to subsequent alterations to design details of the drainage scheme. It was necessary to develop techniques of excavation in semi-dry sections of the riverbed, to co-ordinate the programming of the archaeological and construction operations and to undertake sampling of archaeobotanical remains in association with archaeological deposits and at locations where palaeobotanical remains survived in isolation, such as at Bunlicky. 
