2000:0894 - LAVAGH, Sligo

Monitoring of ground disturbance was undertaken at a development at Lavagh, Dromard, Co. Sligo. The works were carried out on behalf of Eircell Ltd, in accordance with planning permission. Eircell’s development consisted of the construction of a containerised equipment shelter, the erection of a mobile phone antenna and security fence, and the building of a road into the site. The site was in the middle of mature forestry. Part of the development was located close to a known archaeological site, classified as an enclosure. The construction works were a sufficient distance away to ensure that there was no impact on the monument. The monitoring of the ground disturbance associated with the development was pursuant to an archaeological impact assessment and was precautionary.

Two areas were monitored, the line of the new road and the compound area in which the new antenna and containerised shelter would be sited. The stripped area for the road measured 100m by 3m. Minimal stripping was necessary, ranging from 0.8m to 0.35m. This area had been greatly disturbed as the entire area was the site of mature forestry. Nothing of archaeological significance was uncovered. The compound area measured 10m by 10m. It was also the site of mature trees. Maximum depths excavated were 0.6m. In the south-east corner of the site the remains of a burnt spread were exposed, measuring 0.6m by 0.4m. It occurred at a depth of 0.3m below ground level. It consisted of a spread of charcoal and several pieces of burnt sandstone. Both its western and eastern edges were completely truncated by the furrowing associated with the planting of the trees. Its boundaries were quite defined. However, it was difficult to establish how much of it had previously been destroyed by tree-planting. The spread was sited 50m west of the enclosure. The feature could have been the remains of a fulacht fiadh.

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