County: Cavan Site name: BELTURBET-AGHALANE ROAD SCHEME, CORGREAGH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 97E0461
Author: Malachy Conway, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 633882m, N 819304m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.121667, -7.481694
Monitoring of pre-contract works undertaken by Cavan County Council at the site of the N3 Belturbet to Aghalane realignment was carried out over three stages during 1997. The excavation area runs parallel to the present N3 north of Belturbet from the Staghall junction to the Woodford River (border with County Fermanagh), a distance of over 2800m. The works required both the re-excavation and resurfacing of the existing portion of the N3 along this route, and the excavation of ground to either side to facilitate the widening of the old N3 carriageway. On average the total land-take for the new carriageway along this route was 20m.
Stage 1 of the work involved monitoring the removal of areas of boggy or marshy ground, while Stage 2 required the monitoring of topsoil removal from areas of farmland to either side of the carriageway. In general the farmland of this area is poor agricultural soil and is used mainly for rough grazing. This also means that the land has seldom been ploughed or cultivated.
Excavations of Stage 1 works (cut and fill) saw the removal of four major areas of peaty deposits along the route. In places excavation was up to 6m deep and, owing to the generally unstable nature of the peaty deposits, no clear vertical sections could be closely examined. In general tree roots and occasional fallen trees were extracted by machine. No features or horizons of archaeological significance were revealed.
Stage 2 works (cut and fill) varied in depth of excavation depending on the nature of the underly-ing geology. On average excavation was up to 0.5m deep, especially during re-excavation of the existing N3 road. Elsewhere the depth could vary between 0.4m and 1m. Features such as tree-root holes, uprooted hedge-lines and drainage trenches were uncovered. No features, soils or finds of archaeological significance were uncovered.
Stage 3 works focused on the excavation of foundations for the proposed Feedarragh bridge, which crosses the Rag River. Nothing of archaeological significance was uncovered from this stage. A final stage of road realignment works requiring monitoring were scheduled for January-February 1998.
Rath House, Ferndale Road, Rathmichael, Co. Dublin
