County: Derry Site name: CREGGAN RATH, Creggan
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: J.I. Hadfield
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 642442m, N 916787m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.996871, -7.336699
The excavation of the Creggan Rath was undertaken as part of the Relief of Derry Project, which also funded the excavation. The site was in an area containing several monuments dating from the Siege of Derry as well as being the supposed site of a rath.
Two trenches were excavated across the site down to a maximum depth of 3m. All the material found was modern, probably dating from the construction of the Creggan Estate. In places at the base of the trenches a modern turf layer was revealed, but beneath this there was only the natural clay. A few ditches were revealed but these were all modern.
It seems most unlikely that a rath ever existed on this spot but that stories concerning a rath are based on knowledge of siege works in the area which have become confused with a circle of trees in the area now known as the rath.
7 Florence St., Park Avenue, Derry
