2005:1367 - CASTLEDARGAN AND CARRIGEENBOY, Sligo

This is the third season of the development for a hotel, housing, apartments and a golf course and the restoration of Castledargan House in a demesne landscape with various archaeological monuments at Castledargan and Carrigeenboy, Ballygawley, Co. Sligo (see Excavations 2003, No. 1657, and 2004, No. 1507, for reports of earlier work).

The development works for the eighteen-hole golf course took place throughout the earlier half of 2005, with construction works continuing thereafter. All ground disturbance and works was monitored. Six burnt spreads were discovered at various points along the central east–west line of the course; there is flowing water in both natural and man-made channels along this central line. As none of these spreads were in a position where they would be impacted on by the golf course, they were preserved in situ by a covering of geotex and good soil following on from basic recording.

A short north–south end section of a souterrain was found on high ground in an area that had already been stripped of topsoil without any indication of a ringfort or enclosure. The adjacent ground to the north was not stripped, due to the presence of mature trees, but examination of aerial photos suggests that the souterrain turned west.

In the twenty-acre Castle Field several pieces of possibly burnt bone were picked up at widely scattered positions. As there was a concentration of find spots on the west side of a small glacial hillock, the licence was extended to excavate this. Some more pieces of bone were found, but no concentration of bone and no burial.

A second licence extension investigated SMR 21:115, as its south side was in danger from a fairway adjustment. This natural-looking glacial hillock had been suggested as being an archaeological monument. Test excavation and then monitoring confirms the interpretation that it is glacial.

Monitoring of groundworks for apartments in the walled garden at Castledargan House revealed a pattern of paths parallel to the sides. In the eastern area a number of unusual stones were found under an internal hedge. One was an odd-shaped piece of weathered limestone, one was a small bullaun and three were markers of pets’ graves, Pod, Gin and Inky. The stone for Inky, died March 1924, was a reused saddle quern (Timoney, 140, fig. 132). These stones were probably collected from elsewhere by the Ormsby family who created monuments in this demesne landscape and the Hosie family generations later used them as markers for pet burials.

The demolition of some of the farm buildings surrounding Castledargan House was monitored and their architectural history was recorded. The two main barns are being conserved as parts of the hotel complex. Three lengths of substantial medieval timber were found in the end wall of one of the barns; they look like those found in Castledargan House two years ago and probably came from Castledargan Castle, a McDonagh castle of 1422.

The ground for the hotel was dug out and monitored without archaeological complication.

The groundworks for the golf course will continue throughout 2006, as will works to enhance the overall development.

Reference
Timoney, M.B. 2005 Had me made: a study of the grave memorials of County Sligo from c. 1650 to the present Keash.

Bóthar an Chorainn, Keash, Co. Sligo