2012:154 - ROUGH POINT, Donegal

In October 2012 testing was undertaken at Rough Point, Killybegs, County Donegal. The site is located in an area of archaeological significance surrounding Cat Castle, St Catherine’s Church and Graveyard and St Catherine’s Well (DL097-015). A fulacht fiadh was uncovered in this area during pre-development testing in 2001 and subsequently excavated by Michael Connolly (for Aegis Archaeology) later that year (Excavations 2011, No. 284, 01E0895). Ground disturbance was undertaken in this area in 2011 without archaeological supervision. The disturbance involved the levelling of topsoil and the excavation of a number of shallow drainage channels. In one of these drainage channels burnt stone was revealed. Testing in 2012 was undertaken to ascertain if these stones represented an archaeological feature or were discarded from previous works at the site.

A trench measuring 5m x 4m was excavated to evaluate the archaeological significance of the burnt stone deposit. The burnt stone deposit was identified in the west- and north-facing sections of drainage channels excavated in 2011. The deposit was located c. 11m east of the hedgerow bordering the west of the site. The removal of vegetation revealed a triangular deposit of burnt stone measuring 0.7m x 0.53m and 0.25m deep. To the north and south of this deposit further burnt stones were encountered. 1.3m to the south an area of burnt stones extended for a length of 1.4m and 1m in width. The stones were found to be loosely deposited directly on top of the natural grey marl. On the north side of the east-west-running drain further burnt stones covering an area c. 1m x 0.7m were exposed. Plastic sheeting uncovered at the base of these stones indicated that they formed part of the mound revealed and excavated in 2001. The burnt stone deposit had been disturbed by drainage trenches running roughly north-south and east-west. No finds or features of archaeological significance were encountered in the area surrounding this deposit.