In Waterford the first extensive excvations along one of the countyr's roads were carried out between 1998 and 2000, before construction of the realignment of the N25 south of the little town of Kilmacthomas. 

Previous investigations in this area had been limited, and very little was known about the area's history and archaeology. This book presnst the results of the excavations along the 8.5km route way, which revealed that people had lived here for at least 6,000 years. A number of settlements are datable to the period 4000-1000 BC. and outdoor cooking and bathing places were in use circa 2000-1000 BC.