Blackhall works ‘high risk’ in terms of archaeology

Works to build a new footpath in Blackhall, stretching from the car park to the railway bridge, are being assessed by an archaeological consultancy firm from Drogheda.

Caroline Cosgrove of ACSU (Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit) told the Westmeath Examiner on Monday: “It’s a very ‘high risk’ area in terms of archaeology, so anywhere they dig down, I have to be here.”

“Last July, just down at the wee roundabout in Blackhall, there was an adult male and a juvenile found, just 60cms below the surface.

“We’d be expecting to find anything from foundations, or the main risk is bodies.

“We don’t know of an actual graveyard here, but we have found bodies, sporadically spaced, all across this area.

“It’s just a case of keeping an eye out for that, and the fact that these remains are never buried too deep that we have to be careful. The remains that were found here previously were found not too deep down from the surface.”

Foreman with Westmeath County Council, Aidan Aughey, says the footpath works are due to continue for the next two weeks.

It is understood the development of the footpath is a precursor to the planned regeneration of the entire Blackhall area.

Last year, Mullingar Municipal District announced they had acquired land in Blackhall in the hope of securing technical consultants to develop the overall area.

An allocation of €3.27 million was announced for the creation of “an innovative” mixed use urban quarter characterised by “cutting-edge architecture”.

It formed part of a €10.89 million stimulus package announced for it, Canal Avenue in Mullingar, and Kinnegad.

In-depth economic analysis was due to be carried out this year, and in 2021, when the statutory process was in place, Mullingar District was set to reach out to the likes of the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and private investors in order to develop the land bank at Blackhall.