County: Roscommon Site name: BARNABOY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 06E1098
Author: Simon Ó Faoláin
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 567878m, N 795723m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.909897, -8.488878
In late 2006 planning permission was granted to construct a single dwelling house with associated works at a site at Barnaboy, Ballaghaderreen. A test excavation was required. A cashel, RO08c–023, lies 60–65m to north-east of the proposed development site.
Although two derelict buildings on the site restricted movement somewhat, there was sufficient space to allow effective testing between them using a mini-digger. All trenches were excavated by mechanical excavator with toothless bucket. All trenches were 1.3–1.5m wide and were excavated to a depth where natural subsoil was encountered. The topsoil in all trenches excavated was a very dark-brown sandy loam with an average thickness of c. 0.3m, coming down on to a light-brown clayey silt subsoil. A total of five trenches were excavated, three of which (Trenches 3 to 5) joined up to form an H-shape in plan.
Trench 1 measured 12m in length and was aligned with its long axis running south-south-west to north-north-east. A single piece of glazed white earthenware of modern type was recovered.
Trench 2 measured 7m in length and was aligned with its long axis running south-west to north-east.
Trench 3 measured 20m in length and was aligned with its long axis running east to west. It ran between the two derelict buildings. In this trench the topsoil lay in a very thin layer over a cobbled layer relating to the original use of the derelict farmhouse. This cobbling was mostly composed of very large rocks (0.3–0.8m in maximum length), laid with their flat faces upwards. There was no mortaring between them and they lay upon a further layer of the topsoil, which itself came off on to the subsoil as elsewhere. A small rubbish pit was uncovered cut into the subsoil near the western end of this trench. Investigation of the fill yielded a piece of modern green bottle glass and a 20th-century Gillette disposable razor blade.
Trench 4 measured 9m in length and was aligned with its long axis running north to south. Two pieces of 20th-century earthenware pottery with a brown glaze were recovered.
Trench 5 measured 20m in length and was aligned with its long axis running east to west. A ‘baby’ bottle for Jameson whiskey and a small piece of clear window glass were recovered.
These test excavations encountered no evidence for human activity pre-dating the 20th century.
Garraí na dTor, Lios Póil, Co. Chiarraí
