County: Donegal Site name: GLEBE, Killybegs
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 01E0243
Author: Martin Fitzpatrick, Arch. Consultancy Ltd.
Site type: Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 571309m, N 876523m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.636103, -8.444394
It was proposed to develop land to the immediate south of Killybegs town, in the area of Rough Point. The area surrounding St Catherine’s Church, St Catherine’s Well and Cat Castle represents a zone of archaeological potential as depicted on the Urban Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. The zone continues southwards to incorporate an area of the proposed development. A walk-over of the site prior to testing did not discover any above-ground archaeological features. The exposed cliff face to the east of the site was also examined. Its exposed stratigraphy revealed no interruption in the stratified layers.
Fifteen trenches were mechanically excavated in the course of pre-development testing. In addition, a small area of land was stripped of topsoil. The stratigraphy revealed in fourteen of the trenches excavated did not indicate any evidence of features/deposits of archaeological significance. The layers present generally consisted of topsoil overlying a natural marl or subsoil layer, with rock visible at a high level. Numerous stone-filled drains were uncovered in the course of testing and testify to the land’s agricultural value in the past. The excavation of Trench 13 (in addition to an area south of the trench) revealed a burnt spread of stones and clay, which on excavation may indicate the presence of a burnt mound or fulacht fiadh.
Ballydavid South, Athenry, Co. Galway
