County: Louth Site name: BALLMACSCANLAN RIVER, AGHNASKEAGH/PLASTER (Area 13)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A002/000, A002/009
Author: David Kilner, Archaeological Development Services Ltd.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 706986m, N 811966m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.045753, -6.366355
A wade survey commissioned by DRD Roads Service was carried out in the Ballymacscanlan River between Chainages 12560 and 12630 in Aghnaskeagh and Plaster townlands. This stretch of river will be impacted on by the proposed A1/N1 Newry-Dundalk link road, although previous survey work had determined that there were neither fords nor other structures present in the river.
The Ballymascanlan River at the time of survey was quite deep, being waist-high, c. 1.2m, in places. However, the majority of the river was only knee-deep, c. 0.5m, along the proposed road-take. The visual search of the riverbed proved negative. Information from a local farmer indicated that the Ballymascanlan River had been dredged and had its sides rock-armoured in 1967. This would have removed any riverine archaeological structures and riverbed artefacts.
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