2000:0892 - LARASS, or STRANDHILL/TULLY (E.D. Knocknaree), Sligo

This work, carried out over three periods, 3–7 April, 9–16 May and 13–14 September 2000, involved the monitoring of topsoil-stripping along a 1.34km stretch of proposed roadway (3–58m wide), part of the realignment of the R292 Sligo–Strandhill road. This section of the roadway is c. 1 mile east of Strandhill (4 miles west of Sligo town), in the townlands of Larass (Strandhill) and Tully (E.D. Knocknaree). The topsoil-stripping was confined to the northern side of the existing roadway for 800m and to the southern side for the remaining 530m at its western end. Three proposed access roads were also stripped, at 540m, 760m and 820m from the eastern end. The first was 24m long (north-north-west/south-south-east) and 7.5m wide. The second was 28m long (north-west/south-east) and 30m wide (max.). The third was 30–35m long (north-west/south-east) and 55m wide (max.).

The topsoil-stripping revealed undisturbed natural stratigraphy at 0–340m, 360–400m, 410–820m and 950–1340m. Along these sections the topsoil and small areas of rubble fill contained modern artefacts, occasional shell, animal bone fragments and mortar. At 340–360m, 400–410m and 820–950m a number of features were uncovered. These consisted of a burnt spread, nineteen shell middens, five ditches, three pits, two areas of burning, a band of shell, a culvert and the ruins of a house.

The burnt spread, located at 345–355m, extended out from the northern edge of the realignment and measured 9.9m west-south-west/east-north-east and up to 3m wide. This feature was in what will be the embankment of the proposed realignment, which is to be covered with crushed rock. After consultation with Dúchas The Heritage Service it was agreed that it could be covered in terram and left in situ.

The first shell midden was located at 407m from the eastern end, 4m from the northern edge of the realignment, and measured 3.6m north–south and up to 1m wide. It comprised cockles, periwinkles, mussels and oysters. A fragment of red brick, found within the midden, hastened the decision to excavate it fully. The excavation produced no further artefacts, and the feature was found to measure 0.1–0.35m in thickness. Four of the next six shell middens were located between 820m and 840m. They measured from 0.8m in diameter up to 3m x 2m and consisted of some or all of the following: cockles, mussels, periwinkles and oysters. The remaining two shell middens were located between 900m and 940m, within the topsoil. The first consisted of oyster, cockle and razor shells and measured 3m north-west/south-east and 0.4–0.9m wide. The second consisted of oyster and cockle shells and measured 1.2m in length and 0.1-0.35m in thickness. Both were removed during topsoil-stripping. The final twelve shell middens, including that within the ruins of the cottage, were located between 830m and 875m. They measured from 0.5m in diameter up to 3m x 2.2m and consisted of some or all of the following: oyster, periwinkle, mussel and cockles.

The first ditch, located at 879m, measured 1–2m wide and crossed the entire width of the proposed realignment. The second ditch entered the south-eastern side of the proposed realignment at 899m and ran in a roughly north–south direction for 19m before turning roughly north-east/south-west for 9m, exiting the north-western side at 878m. It was 1.2–1.5m wide. The third ditch, at 921m, crossed the line of the proposed realignment at right angles, i.e. north-west/south-east, and was 0.7–1.4m wide. The fourth ditch, at 939m, crossed the proposed realignment in a north-west/south-east direction and was 1m wide. The fifth ditch entered the south-eastern side of the proposed realignment at 942m and measured 8m north-west/south-east before turning north/south for 2.5m, then north-west/south-east again for 10m, disappearing into the south-eastern side again, at 938m. This ditch was 0.5–1.2m wide. All five ditches were filled with a dark brown silt loam with a high concentration of shell. Three of the five ditches (first, third and fourth) were linear, crossed the proposed realignment and were deemed to be the remains of modern field drains, which measured 0.2–0.4m deep.

The three pits were located between 886m and 891m, to the north-east of the second ditch. The first pit was located 0.8m east of the ditch and measured 1m east–west and 0.9m in width. The second pit was located 1.2m east of the ditch and 0.4m south of the first pit. It was roughly circular in plan and measured 0.8–0.9m in diameter. The third pit was located 2.8m east of the ditch and 1.3m south-south-east of the second pit. It was linear in plan and measured 3.5m north-north-east/south-south-west and 0.9m in width. They were all filled with a similar fill to that in the nearby ditch.

The two small areas of burning lay along the south-eastern edge of the proposed realignment at 850m and 858m. The first area measured 1.5m north-east/south-west, 0.8m in width and 10mm in thickness. It contained charred wood and rusted/burnt metal. The second area measured 0.6m in diameter and up to 10mm in thickness. It contained oyster and mussel shells. These appeared to be the remains of recent bonfires and were removed.

The band of shell extended roughly north–south for 25m from the north-western edge of the third access road, 10m north-east of a field boundary, at 840–850m. It was 1–2m wide and consisted of oyster, mussel, periwinkle and cockle shells. The culvert was located at the southern end of the band of shell, at 850m along the proposed realignment. It extended north-east/south-west out of the adjacent field boundary for 8m. A 3.5m section of the culvert at its south-western end was removed by the digger on discovery. It consisted of drystone rubble sidewalls and a large capstone and measured 0.65m wide and 0.3m high (internally). It was cut into the boulder clay, and its base was covered in clay and shell. It extended further to the north-east.

The ruins of the house were located a short distance to the east of the culvert. It consisted of the lower courses of its four walls, constructed of rubble and red brick. These covered an area of 7.4m east-north-east/west-south-west and 5.5m wide. The walls measured 0.7m in thickness. The centre of the building was covered in collapsed material and contained a shell midden.

The sixteen shell middens that remained extant would appear to be modern; however, they required further investigation, as did two of the five ditches (second and fifth), the three pits, the band of shell and the culvert. This was addressed in a subsequent rescue excavation, carried out in June and July 2000 (see Excavations 2000, No. 893).

Purcell House, Oranmore, Co. Galway