County: Donegal Site name: AIB, The Diamond, Donegal town
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 99:13 Licence number: 00E0697 ext.
Author: Declan Moore, Moore Archaeological and Environmental Services Ltd, 200 Dún na Coiribe, Galway.
Site type: Town
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 592862m, N 878397m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.653702, -8.110611
Monitoring was carried out on the site of the proposed conversion and extension of the AIB building on the Diamond, Donegal town. Phase 1 of the proposed development entailed the excavation of foundation trenches and new drains to the rear of the existing building (Excavations 2000, No. 171). The second phase of monitoring involved the demolition of existing structures to the rear of the main bank building and involved no further excavations. Phase 3 involved the reduction of the floor in the existing building and subsequent excavation of two column bases.
The site is bounded to the west by a high wall, separating the proposed development from a roadway and the Eske River. It is on a gently rising slope. To the north and south, the Abbey Hotel and the Central Hotel respectively bound the site.
Monitoring was carried out on 30 July 2001. Bedrock was sealed by a series of dark greyish brown sandy silts, which in turn underlay mixed deposits of dark brown silt and gravel with frequent inclusions of red brick and flecks of mortar. This deposit underlay modern concrete flooring.
Nothing of archaeological significance was observed during the course of monitoring.
