2024:892 - Slievereagh & Coomnaclohy, Cork

A programme of archaeological works was undertaken on the site of a proposed renewable energy development at Slievereagh and Coomnaclohy, Co. Cork, between 30 September and 4 October 2024. The site is located on the southern slope of the Derrynasaggart Mountains, c.3km north of Ballyvourney. The land consists of blanket bog and cutaway peat, and is traversed by an extensive network of land drains. Archaeological works included testing at the sites of turbine bases and hardstands, and wade and metal detection survey of watercourses within the development site.

Twenty-two test trenches were excavated at the sites of six wind turbines and their associated hardstands. The stratigraphy was consistent across the site, with shallow peat over clayey sand, degraded sandstone and boulders. The average depth of the peat was just 0.35m, and the only features uncovered during testing were disused modern land drains. Wade and metal detection survey was carried out along a number of streamlets, from their sources in the north extent of the development site to their confluence in the southeast. The uppermost stream source lay on the Cork-Kerry border in the north extent of the study area. This area is stripped of its bog. The streams have cut winding pathways up to 2m in depth through the surrounding bogland, and the streambeds are composed of mainly angular cobble-sized shale with mixed gravels and some quartz inclusions. Modern finds were recovered from the source and confluence areas but no targets were detected in the downhill sections. No archaeology was found.