County: Sligo Site name: CALTRAGH (Site 1F)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 03E0543
Author: Stephen J. Linnane, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 568738m, N 834555m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.258871, -8.479798
Testing was carried out in advance of construction along the route of the proposed N4 Sligo Inner Relief Road and County Extension on behalf of Sligo County Council. In 2001, during this phase of centre-line testing, a number of features of archaeological potential were exposed at Caltragh. The site was subsequently designated Caltragh Site 1F and was excavated in June/July 2003. The site is situated at the base of a hillside, with a marsh forming its western boundary.
The site was detected by Frank Ryan during centre-line testing of the proposed route (Excavations 2001, No. 1176, 01E0942). Three spreads of fulacht material were detected. Excavation indicated that two of these spreads were the result of the levelling of the third, which must once have been substantial. The two spreads were not related to any features, whilst the third overlay a single rectangular trough with dimensions of c. 2.3m east-west by c. 1.4m and a maximum depth of c. 0.3m. Post-holes with an average diameter of c. 0.2m were situated at the corners of the trough, indicating that it was timber-lined, although none of the timbers survived. In the vicinity of the trough was a dense scatter of stake-holes.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
