County: Donegal Site name: BUNBEG
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E0546
Author: Declan Moore, Moore Ltd.
Site type: Midden
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 580160m, N 923406m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 55.057753, -8.310525
Testing took place at the site of a possible midden in April 2002. The proposed development is at Bunbeg Pier, c. 1km south of the village of Bunbeg, Co. Donegal. As part of an environmental impact assessment for a proposed pier development, a field inspection was carried out. The area immediately west of the end of the existing pier, which will be directly affected by the development, was walked over at low tide. Testing in the form of a hand-dug test-trench was carried out at the site of an anomaly identified. The results were inconclusive, but it was thought that the feature was possibly a midden. It was recommended that the feature be removed by hand.
An excavation was carried out from 7 to 9 July 2002 during low tides. The upper deposit was a very compact, dark grey layer comprising pebble-sized stones, oyster, winkle and cockle shell, and a dark grey clay, all fused together. A number of modern objects were recovered from the feature, and it was concluded that it was of modern date.
Unit 6, Riveroaks, Claregalway, Co. Galway
