2025:547 - Finisklin Road, Finisklin, Sligo

A programme of Archaeological Monitoring of topsoil stripping/general site preparation works associated with a Residential Development (Phase 1) at Finisklin Road, Finisklin, Co. Sligo was undertaken from 5–8 August 2025.

The overall development lands were subject to an Archaeological Impact Assessment, including a programme of intrusive testing, by Tamlyn McHugh (Licence No: 23E0500; Excavations: 2023:316). In summary, archaeological material in the form of a series of pits was uncovered in Trench 4; following the recording of the pits the area was covered in terram, and backfilled. The archaeological features uncovered by the programme of testing are located to the south of the Phase 1 development area and in an area proposed for future development (Phase 2). The subsequent Assessment Report recommended that ‘due to the occurrence of archaeological material at the development site, it is also recommended that archaeological monitoring of topsoil stripping during the construction phase should be conducted by a suitably qualified archaeologist, under license to the Planning and Heritage Section of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the with provision being made for full recording and excavation of any archaeological features or deposits which may be exposed’.

All topsoil stripping required of the development (Phase 1), together with the excavation of the archaeologically sterile subsoil by up to 0.15m in places, was undertaken.

No subsurface features of archaeological interest or potential were uncovered by the works; some of the resultant subsoil was raked-over to increase the chances of artefact recovery but nothing of archaeological or historical interest was recovered.