2004:1550 - SLIGO: Pearse Road, Sligo

Excavations at a proposed development site at Pearse Road, Sligo, took place on 2 September 2004. The development site is located within a block of land bounded to the west by Connolly Street, to the north by Burton Street to the east by Pearse Road and to the south by Vernon Street. The total development site is 0.35ha in area and was inclusive of a series of property divisions and standing buildings.

Prior to testing, it was agreed that a programme of demolition should take place. The demolition work involved removing all above-ground buildings and walls within the boundaries of the proposed development.

Two long trenches excavated across the flat area of the development site did not reveal any features, finds or deposits of an archaeological nature. A network of drainage channels was noted at the base of the trenches cut into the underlying natural subsoil. Testing at the site was curtailed due to a number of factors. To the west of the site the original garage forecourt fronting on to Pearse Road could not be tested, due to the insertion of underground tanks related to its use as a garage. Proposed testing in the area immediately west of the forecourt was abandoned, due to the depth of fill encountered and the unstable nature of the excavated trench. Access to the northern portion of the site was not available, as it was still being used as back gardens by the occupants of the terraced houses fronting on to Pearse Road.

Unit 3, Howley Court, Oranmore, Co. Galway