2016:198 - Kilturra, Ogham (Corran By.), Quarryfield, Sligo

A programme of monitoring was carried out by Moore Group at Quarryfield, Co. Sligo in June 2016. In the vicinity of the pipe-laying works are a number of archaeological monuments. The overall project involved the installation of approximately 2.9km of pipeline at various locations in the Quarryfield area of south-west County Sligo in the townlands of Kilturra, Ogham (Corran By.) and Quarryfield.

Ground works consisted of the mechanical excavation of a series of launch and receptor pits for the purposes of pipe laying using directional drilling techniques. The pits were excavated at a distance of 100m apart and measured varying widths averaging 0.85m to 1.2m and to a maximum depth of 1.3m as per engineering specifications. Launch and receptors pits were excavated along a network of single track rural roads south and south-east of the R294 from Gurteen to Tubbercurry. The majority of these pits were excavated into grassy verges along the edge of the road. On occasion when conditions dictated the pits were excavated in the existing road surface. The stratigraphy exposed along the pipeline consisted of a grassy sod layer over a dark brown clay with occasional to moderate stone inclusions over the underlying boulder clay. Occasionally the stratigraphy changed to a peat substrate owing to the marshy nature of the surrounding area.

Monitoring of the upgrading of the water mains at Area 2: Quarryfield, Co. Sligo was undertaken in June 2016. Monitoring was carried out in the vicinity of SL038-120001 Barrow and SL038-120003- Cross-inscribed pillar in Kilturra townland revealed no material of an archaeological nature. No further material of an archaeological nature was found in any of the launch or receptor pits.

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