County: Donegal Site name: GORTCALLY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 11E0254
Author: Martin McGonigle
Site type: Testing
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 622938m, N 932094m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 55.135670, -7.640280
Testing was undertaken on the site of a proposed domestic garage at Gortcally, Kerrykeel, on 12 August 2011. The site is located in a hollow to the south-east of a dwelling house built in 1999, with higher ground to the north and east, and good views to the south and west. Part of a circular feature depicted as ‘Fort’ on the 1st-edition OS map (possibly a ringfort) is within the area proposed for development. No evidence of this site (DG028-014) was shown on the 2nd-edition OS map and no traces are visible above ground today. Most of the area in which this circular feature was located has been modified a number of times, including a scarping of the area that would have included much of the circular feature (probably in the interim period between the 1st- and 2nd-edition OS maps), which has removed all evidence of it within the area of the proposed garage. The site was most recently modified during the construction of the associated dwelling house (which contains a basement garage), when the site was lowered and then backfilled with building rubble.
Linear test trenches with a total area of 100m² were excavated on the site. The topsoil consisted of loose, dark brown clayey sand containing building rubble, plastic, iron and ceramic tiles. The subsoil consisted of orange sandy clay containing abundant sub-angular stones and boulders. No features, finds or deposits of archaeological significance were identified on site. A scan of the topsoil from the trenches produced no finds other than modern ceramics and glass.
John Cronin and Associates 28 Upper Main Street, Buncrana, Co. Donegal
