2024:768 - Ballymacarthur, Eleven Ballyboes, Balleeghan, Carrowhugh, Carrowtrasna, Stroove, Donegal

Uisce Éireann’s Water Network Programme, Stroove, Greencastle scheme is located in Ballymacarthur, Eleven Ballyboes, Balleeghan, Carrowhugh, Carrowtrasna and Stroove townlands, County Donegal. The scheme involved the installation of 4,490m of new water mains and the decommissioning of 100m of pipeline. The installation method used was directional drilling, with some sections of open-cut trenching, including within the Zone of Notification (ZoN) for Recorded Monument DG013-009—- (enclosure).
The monitoring followed a high-level Cultural Heritage Screening Assessment (CHSA) undertaken for the scheme by Archaeological Management Solutions in 2023. The CHSA found that the scheme traverses the ZoN for Recorded Monument DG013-009—- (enclosure). The scheme route is also located in the vicinity of DG022-009—- (souterrain) but would not intersect the ZoN for this site. The CHSA also identified seventeen sites in the vicinity of the scheme having the potential for archaeological remains to be present at these locations.
In order to identify any subsurface archaeological objects, features or deposits that may have potentially existed along the scheme route, the excavation of trial holes, access pits to facilitate directional drilling and sections of open-cut trenching (including within the ZoN for Recorded Monument DG013-009—- (enclosure) and 20m either side of the ZoN), at the locations of the watercourses, watercourses/ townland boundaries, St Brigid’s Well, bridges, bridge/culvert and a culverts and 20m either side along the route were monitored under archaeological supervision. The monitoring was carried out between 13 March 2023 and 2 July 2024.
During the monitoring of excavation of an access pit to the west of a watercourse and a bridge in Eleven Ballyboes townland, a burnt mound spread was revealed. It was found at a depth of 0.8m below ground level sealed by a built-up ground and the road surface. Following the discovery, the access pit was extended to the southwest to confirm the extent of the burnt mound spread which was subject to rescue excavation on 21 September 2023.
The burnt mound spread consisted of mid-grey to dark blackish-grey charcoal-enriched sandy silt with frequent inclusions of burnt sandstone. This spread measured 4.58m long by 0.5–0.7m wide by 0.1–0.16m in depth. No features were found in association with, or covered by, the burnt mound spread. No finds were recovered during the excavation of the spread; however, a flint flake was found when searching a spoil heap. Underlying the burnt mound spread was the natural subsoil which consisted of a light orange and grey gravelly, sandy silt.