County: Derry Site name: DERRY: Fahan Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Judith Carroll
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 642970m, N 916361m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.993000, -7.328518
A one-day geophysical survey took place on a small area of ground between Fahan Street and St Joseph's Place in Westland Ward (Edenballymore Td), in Derry City. The reason for the investigation was to examine the possibility of recovering bullets relating to Sunday 30 January 1972 ('Bloody Sunday'). These bullets, according to eye-witness accounts, may have been fired from the walls of Derry City into the triangular area of ground investigated.
An archaeological excavation was sought by the Bloody Sunday Committee as it was felt that if the evidence sought was found, it should be recovered and recorded scientifically in order for it to hold weight. Though the nature of the project was not archaeological, it was recommended by Historic Monuments, DoE(NI), that the digging should be monitored by an archaeologist in this area of Derry. The site is just within the city walls and is therefore of significant archaeological potential.
Initially, it was suggested that a geophysical survey should take place prior to any proposal for excavation. To this end, GeoArc Ltd were consulted and a metal-detecting survey, using a Gi Explorer TM-93TM, was recommended. However, in order for the survey to rule out metal rubbish (bottle-tops, pennies, etc.), digging was necessary in response to signals from the instrument.
The metal-detecting survey, accompanied by digging, was carried out on 30 September 1997. However, the ground was found to be unsuitable for geophysical work. The area being investigated was between the walls and steps leading down to the Rossville Flats. The green area investigated (between the road and the walls/steps of the Flats) had been artificially created during their construction. It was filled with redeposited garden soil well over 1m in maximum depth. The soil had been extensively disturbed and contained rubble fragments including brick, wire, fragments of iron, etc. Trees had been planted in it. After very little digging, it was realised that the metal-detector was responding to the tiniest fragment of brick, which it found every few centimetres, and it was decided not to proceed with the geophysical survey.
30 Ramleh Park, Milltown, Dublin 6
