County: Louth Site name: LACKNAGREAGH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: LH006–022 Licence number: 08E0003
Author: Kieran Campbell, 6 St Ultans, Laytown, Co. Meath.
Site type: Souterrain, possible
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 695956m, N 808168m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.013804, -6.535909
In a townland survey, published in the County Louth Archaeological Journal 1931, Revd P. Corcoran, the local parish priest, recorded that ^about 50 years ago in the course of ploughing a flag was struck. When this flag was removed the workman saw it covered a souterrain’ at Lacknagreagh, Dundalk. Revd Corcoran surmised that the souterrain was a continuation of another better-documented souterrain in the adjoining Carrickalust townland (LH006–023), although the distance between them was at least 150m.
The field with the souterrain, Revd Corcoran’s ^Field 8’, is now divided in three. The western part had previously been tested by Carmel Duffy (Excavations 2006, No. 1379, 06E0339). The 2008 licence was first issued to her for a development on the centre site and testing took place in January 2008 (Excavations 2008, No. 850). Under an extension to this licence, further testing took place in January 2009 for a revised development on the same site. Both investigations recorded topsoil overlying natural stony clay subsoil, with no evidence for a souterrain or any associated settlement material such as might be expected. The possibility remains that the souterrain is located in the remaining third part of the field, assuming that Revd Corcoran’s information was correct.
