County: Louth Site name: DONAGHMORE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E0369
Author: Fintan Walsh, IAC Ltd.
Site type: Habitation site and Structure
Period/Dating: Neolithic (4000BC-2501 BC)
ITM: E 701390m, N 806849m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.000920, -6.453473
Testing was undertaken at Donaghmore, Co. Louth, before the Dundalk Western Bypass. A geophysical survey was carried out at the site by GSB Prospection on 27 January 2002. The site was interpreted as a series of linear trends possibly indicative of enclosure ditches associated with ringforts. This survey was undertaken because of the proximity to the proposed motorway of two souterrains (SMR 7:106 and 7:33) and an oval mound.
The excavation of test-trenches revealed numerous prehistoric archaeological features and deposits. The main concentration of material was confined to the southern half of the site. This defined an area of c. 50m by 30m. A number of possible structural features including post-holes and stake-holes were recorded, associated with a possible metalled surface and layers of occupational material.
The pottery recovered from the features and preliminary analysis of the archaeological remains suggested that this was an occupational site consisting of a structure and associated features of possible Neolithic date. The site is surrounded on its southern, eastern, and northern sides by large, natural rock outcrops. These rock outcrops, which are overgrown with bushes and trees, create a naturally sheltered area that would be an attractive site for occupation.
The concentric curvilinear anomalies highlighted in the geophysical survey were probably produced by variations in the natural geology, as linear outcrops of bedrock. Concentric bands of bedrock were recorded in two trenches.
No other sites of Neolithic date have been recorded in the immediate area; however, the linear testing programme of the project has uncovered archaeological material c. 75m to the north-east of the site. This consisted of possible pits containing charcoal-rich clay.
8 Dungar Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
