2005:703 - BALLYOUGHTRAGH NORTH, MILLTOWN, Kerry

Testing took place of a large pasture field, for which planning permission had been granted for 44 mainly semi-detached houses. There were no known monuments on the site, but two enclosures, SMR KE 47:56 and 47:47, are in the area. Eight trenches were opened through the main areas of proposed disturbance. Some plough furrows, probably of recent date, were noted running in a north-east/south-west direction in the southern portion of the field, particularly in Trench D. In general they measured 0.7m in width, with 0.7m between each furrow. It is known that the field was being ploughed up to the recent past. In Trench E, 14.2m from the south-eastern end, a small oval area of dark soil, 0.8m by 0.7m, containing unburnt stone and some small charcoal fragments was noted. It was 0.1m deep (max.) and sat in a hollow in the subsoil. It was found at a depth of c. 0.4m below ground level and was substantially disturbed by the machine on discovery. The hollow did not show any evidence of burning in situ and there were no finds associated. No other features were noted in the immediate area or anywhere else on the site. Apart from a few sherds of modern pottery, there were no finds on the site.