County: Donegal Site name: FAHAN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 38:13 (vicinity of) Licence number: 00E0569 ext.
Author: Dermot Nelis, Irish Archaeological Consultancy
Site type: Burial
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 634344m, N 926335m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 55.083274, -7.462104
Tim Coughlan undertook monitoring of a strip 115m long and with a variable width of 2–15m at this site in July 2000 (see Excavations 2000, No. 177). The site was within 20m of an ecclesiastical site and graveyard. Monitoring, carried out on behalf of Donegal County Council, failed to reveal any features or finds of archaeological interest.
Later, the writer received a phone call from Dúchas The Heritage Service stating that human bone had been found in an area north of that monitored by Mr Coughlan (but outside the archaeological monitoring area). The writer was on site on 7 and 8 September to record any features uncovered and to ensure that there was no further impact on the archaeological resource through permitted development.
All skeletal material had been removed before arrival on site. It was subsequently examined by Dr Marie Cassidy, Department of Forensic Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin. She confirmed the remains to be of an adult, which could represent a single person. There was insufficient material to determine whether this was male or female. It was concluded that the remains were not modern and possibly well in excess of 100 years old.
Archaeological excavation and recording revealed that the human remains came from a cut, measuring 1.2m east–west by 0.8m. There were two fills, with the primary fill containing redeposited natural with large stone inclusions, while the upper fill consisted of loose, black, slightly silty clay with tree root and large stone inclusions. It was reported by the workers on site that the human remains came from this upper fill. Excavation proceeded to a depth of 1.3m, at which point the base of the cut had not been revealed. This negative feature was seen to truncate the previous road surface and can therefore be claimed to be of recent origin.
An area measuring 30m (east–west) x 8.5m, located slightly to the west of where the human remains were found, was required to facilitate development. Excavation in this area was monitored. Excavation revealed one circular negative feature, measuring 0.41m north–south x 0.4m, cut into natural. The fill consisted of a friable, brown clay with animal bones, small shell fragments and possibly a small number of human bone remains (awaiting detailed analysis). Excavation revealed vertical sides and a flat base.
At the western end of the excavated area an east–west layer was recorded. This was truncated by an already existing sewer on its southern side and by the existing road on its northern side. It measured 7.5m east–west x 0.95m. It had a single fill of friable, silty clay with moderate stone and shell inclusions. No datable material was recovered.
8 Dungar Terrace, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
