County: Cavan Site name: Ballintemple
Sites and Monuments Record No.: CV031-007 Licence number: 14E0020
Author: Martin Byrne,
Site type: Adjacent to church and graveyard
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 639850m, N 796033m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 0.000000, 0.000000
A programme of testing was undertaken as part of the preparation of an Archaeological Impact Assessment with respect to a new community hall at Ballintemple, Ballinagh, Co. Cavan and in compliance with a condition included in the grant of planning. The site is located c. 3km to the south-west of the town of Ballinagh and on the eastern side of the R154 (Ballinagh-Virginia) road, across the road from St Patrick’s (C of I) Church. A former parochial hall, dating from the early 20th century and which occupied part of the overall site, was demolished in the 1970s and all traces, including its foundations, were removed.
The development lands are located to the immediate south of a church and graveyard site (CV031-007). The graveyard is irregular in shape and is located on a cliff overlooking a stream. It is bounded by walls with an entrance to the west. The interior is undulating and the surface is higher than that to the lands to the immediate west and south. A church was located within the present graveyard. It was unroofed in the early 17th century and no extant remains existed for it in the early 19th century except for a few blocks of dressed ashlar in the graveyard. A line of earth-fast stones within the graveyard may indicate the remains of a wall associated with the church.
A total of 27 test trenches were excavated within the proposed development area, the locations of which were largely determined by the layout of the development and the topographical nature of the site. No subsurface features, structures or deposits of archaeological potential were uncovered, and no artefacts of archaeological interest recovered, during testing.
The proposed hall will be located 30m from the southern extent of the graveyard, in an area where the former parochial hall previously stood. It was not considered that the development, as proposed, would cause any injury to the setting of the graveyard. Indeed, following completion of landscaping and ongoing maintenance to both the graveyard and development site, it was considered that the development will act as an enhancement to the setting of the monument.
It was subsequently agreed with the National Monuments Service and the Planning Authority that no further archaeological interventions were required.
Byrne Mullins & Associates, 7 Cnoc na Greine Square, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare
