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Friday, May 07, 2004
Report awaited on Viking settlement
By Aileen Mulhall
WATERFORD’S local authorities are anxiously awaiting the outcome of a detailed assessment of a significant Viking settlement site unearthed along the €300m City Bypass route to find out if the road will have to re-routed and whether it will delay the project.
Environment & Local Government Minister, Martin Cullen, has ordered a report on the Viking site at Woodstown off the Old Kilmeaden Road near Waterford city, which dates from the 9th century and may be even older than the Viking settlement excavated at Wood Quay in Dublin.
Representatives from his Department, which has responsibility for the heritage service Duchas, were carrying out the assessment of the site yesterday (Tuesday).
The site measures between 500-600metres and was first discovered by archaeologists last September. The biggest find yet was uncovered last week - a Viking sword and a shield, which are now being examined and cleaned up in a laboratory. The City Council says that contrary to reports, no evidence of a Viking’s remains was found.
Other Viking artefacts excavated at the site over the past few months include iron nails and rivets and fragments of pottery. An Taisce says the National Roads Authority has only two options, either to launch a major excavation or move the road. Prof. Donnchadh Ó’Corráin of UCC has said the Waterford Bypass could be accommodated without destroying the Viking settlement by re-routing the road about 100m from the river to an area on the same elevation.
Lar Power, Waterford City Council’s Director of Transport Services, confirmed the scenario of having to re-route the road is being assessed. “I don’t know what the merits would be. We are not quite sure if it would be possible,” he said.
The National Roads Authority has said it would be difficult to come with up a viable alternative to the existing route.
According to Mr Power, the Department of Environment has two other options. The first is to preserve the site in situ; that is to protect the membrane of the site and build the road above the site.
The second is to go for a “ full resolution”, which is a full archaeological excavation, where the findings will be recorded and the road will be built over the site. This second option would take longer to complete, leading to a longer delay in the City By-pass.
It’s understood an excavation could add at least a year to the construction time and an extra €40m to the cost of the project. Mr Power said it was really Duchas’ call on what will be done with the Viking settlement site.
He said they were in the “very early days” of the assessment of the archaeological site but estimated that the assessment will be concluded within a week or two.
He declined to speculate on whether the Viking settlement would lead to a significant delay in the City By-pass. He stated that any delay in the project would cause the City Council concern.
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