2013:443 - Moygara Castle, Sligo

Test excavations were undertaken at Moygara Castle, Co. Sligo, from 27 May until 7 June 2013. This research excavation project has been initiated by staff and students at the Institute of Technology Sligo in conjunction with the site owner.

Moygara Castle is situated on a low level ridge 800m from the shore of Lough Gara, near the Roscommon border. The walls and four corner towers, while still standing, are in various states of ruin, but mostly structurally sound. The site has been subject to a considerable amount of research over the last decade, initiated by the current site owner Peter O'Neill in association with Dr Kieran O'Conor of NUIG, and funded by the Heritage Council. This has led to architectural assessments by Dr Rory Sherlock and Dr Jason Bolton, topographical and geophysical surveying by Kevin Barton and in-depth historical research undertaken by Dr Ann Conon. There are the remains of what is likely to be an earlier tower-house incorporated into the castle, subsumed within the northern wall, and there is considerable geophysical evidence for an earlier oval ditched enclosure and a substantive amount of potential features outside the castle walls to the north that are likely related to settlement/industrial activities.

A total of 4 cuttings were opened on the site and excavated to the level at which the upper level of archaeological activity was revealed. These cuttings each measured 5m by 1.5m, with two located within the castle walls and the other two located outside the north wall. Cutting 1, located just inside the castle entrance, was orientated north-south, while Cutting 2, orientated east-west, was placed in the north-east quadrant of the castle to investigate the possible oval ditched enclosure. Cutting 3, situated outside the castle, north-east of the northern wall, was orientated north-south and designed to investigate a concentration of geo-magnetic anomalies. Cutting 4, likewise located outside the northern wall but to the north-east of the castle, targeted the opposite end of the same oval ditched enclosure investigated in Cutting 2.

As this was a test excavation, the upper level of archaeology was revealed and in 3 cases assessed through the excavation of a sondage. This included the oval ditched enclosure in Cuttings 2 and 4, and east-west orientated linear features, a possible wall foundation, in Cutting 1. While the geophysical survey indicates the oval ditched feature predates the larger castle, it suggests that it may be contemporary with the tower-house. The east-west orientated features identified in Cutting 1 and visible in the geophysical survey indicate likely structural activity, although there is no dating evidence for these features. Fire-reddened clay and charcoal at the southern end of Cutting 3 may indicate a possible kiln or furnace further to the south.

It is anticipated there will be a further season of test excavation in 2014, prior to launching a larger scale research excavation in 2015.

School of Science, Institute of Technology Sligo.