1999:607 - FARRANDREG, Dundalk, Louth

In October 1999 a programme of test-trenching was undertaken to define, as far as was reasonably possible, potential adverse affects on the archaeological resource resulting from the proposed extension of the Farrandreg Drainage System, which is part of the Dundalk Sewerage Scheme. Five test-trenches were excavated across the site on behalf of Dundalk Urban District Council.

The route of the proposed pipeline is within an area of archaeological potential and runs within c. 10m of a known souterrain. The monument is orientated north-south and runs parallel to the proposed pipeline route. However, an aerial photograph taken in 1979 indicated the existence of a possible cropmark adjacent to the souterrain.

The test-trenches revealed the substantial remains of a multi-chambered souterrain extending across the full width of the proposed development and for an undefined distance along its length.

Trench 1 measured 5m x 3m. The western end contained a substantial north-south-orientated cut. This cut the natural clays, was 1.8m wide and extended beyond the northern and southern limits of the trench. It narrowed to 0.9m wide to the north of the trench, which may represent either the terminus of the feature or simply a narrowing of the passage. It was interpreted as representing the foundation trench of a souterrain chamber.

Trench 2 was 6m south of Trench 1 and measured 5m x 3m. It contained the intact remains of a substantial souterrain at 0.4m below present ground level. It consisted of two visible passages, one orientated east-south-east/west-north-west, and the other a north-south passage perpendicular to the first.

The east-south-east/west-north-west passage was visible above ground for 2.2m, at which point it ran beneath the level of the excavation. Its line was marked by an east-west-orientated cut that extended beyond the southern and eastern limits of the trench.

A dislodged capstone allowed for a visual inspection, which revealed that the souterrain was drystone-built and had a corbelled roof. The western end of the passage was blocked by rubble. It was not possible to measure the eastern end of the passage; however, its length was estimated as roughly 20m. The eastern end was met by a further north-south-orientated passage running perpendicular to it.

Trench 3 was 1m to the south-east of Trench 2 and measured 3m x 2m. A cut feature extended across the width of Trench 3 and continued beyond the eastern limit of excavation. The northern edge only of the cut was recorded, as its southern edge lay beyond the southern limit of the trench. It cut the natural clay and clearly represented an eastern continuation of the souterrain foundation cut recorded in Trench 2.

Trenches 4 and 5 contained no archaeological features or deposits.

It is highly likely that the monument described above forms part of the souterrain recorded by Paul Gosling in the early 1980s. If this is the case it would indicate that the monument, as currently understood, consists of at least one east-west passage running downslope to the east for a distance of c. 30m, with a further three, north-south-orientated passages of uncertain length running perpendicular to it.

It must also be concluded that it is unlikely that such a monument occurred in isolation. Therefore it is probable that it forms part of a wider habitation area, which was most likely represented by the presence of a ringfort. Despite the fact that the site has been ploughed extensively in the recent past, it is likely that the truncated remains of such a habitation site survive below the ploughing horizon; this is borne out by the possible cropmark identified in the aerial photograph in 1979.

8 Dungar Terrace, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin