County: Westmeath Site name: KL2, KILLAVALLY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E1095
Author: Laurence McGowan, 27 Lindenwood Park, Foyle Springs, Derry, for Cultural Resource Development Services Ltd.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 640410m, N 736547m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.377558, -7.392672
This work was undertaken as part of a programme of testing ahead of the proposed realignment of the N6 Dublin-Galway carriageway. The site is one of sixteen sites of archaeological potential identified during the compilation of an EIS. It is situated in the north-western corner of a field that is currently in rough pasture at Chainage point 38,350m. The area to the east and south comprises a chain of low drumlins, with the effect that the field is sitting in a slightly lower-lying trough filled by deep bog. The bog has been extensively reclaimed over the years.
The site comprises a low irregularly shaped mound with a central depression. Only a small proportion of this mound will be impacted upon directly by the proposed development, with the majority of it lying just outside the southern boundary of the road corridor. Due to its location, it was thought that the mound might represent a fulacht fiadh-type monument.
A test-trench was excavated along the southern boundary of the CPO in the area close to the mound feature. A second trench ran perpendicular to this in a rough north-south orientation. No evidence of archaeological activity was uncovered. The only activity was represented by modern stone drains, which cross the entire area, running into the deeper bog in the western part of the field. These formed part of a drainage system implemented within the last century as an attempt to reclaim boggy land in the area. The mound would appear to be the result of modern agricultural or industrial dumping.
