County: Roscommon Site name: DERRANE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 35:87 Licence number: 00E0279
Author: Sébastien Joubert
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 588304m, N 768578m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.666827, -8.176971
Monitoring was required during the realignment of the N61 (from Roscommon to Coolteige). It was part of the second phase of a main project by Roscommon County Council. Phase 2 was two miles to the north of Roscommon town and involved a 2km stretch, from Munsborough townland to Coolteige townland.
One archaeological site, clearly visible on the east of the existing road in the townland of Derrane, was recorded as an earthen enclosure. The enclosure is c. 25m in diameter. The low internal bank surrounding the enclosure is 2.3m wide and 0.6m high. A couple of entrances were noticed within the enclosure, through the embankment. One of the main entrances recorded on the east of the earthwork was c. 2m wide. The southern part of the fort seemed to have been disturbed, possibly during the modern period. The earthen bank had possibly been removed or reused for the base of a stone boundary wall running mostly east–west. No other archaeological sites would be affected by the realignment.
Although roadworks started on 7 April 2000, archaeological monitoring only started on 4 May 2000. Roadworks commenced without the presence of an archaeologist.
The stratigraphy was consistent along the route. No archaeology was encountered along the two-mile stretch. Any archaeology that may have been present near the enclosure was probably disturbed by the existing road.
Seamount, Upper Rosses, Rosses Point, Co. Sligo
