County: Sligo Site name: Gortalough, Ballinafad
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SL040-190 Licence number: 18E0069
Author: Angela Wallace
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 577920m, N 808761m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.027571, -8.336994
A programme of testing was carried out at Gortalough, Ballinafad, Co. Sligo in February, 2018 in advance of proposed upgrade works on a water treatment plant. The proposed development impacts the area of constraint for SL040-190 (Road - road/trackway) and lies in close proximity to the imposing remains of SL040-189 (Castle).
SL040-190 has no surface expression in the vicinity of the development but it is preserved in the line of the slip road immediately west of the site. This line is located c.30m south-west of main area to be developed. The monument is also preserved in the line of the farm access road leading up to Ballinafad Castle and in the line of a disused boreen south-east of the castle.
Five test trenches were excavated across the area where upgrade works are proposed. All test trenches indicated considerable previous disturbance across the site. A layer of mixed dumped soil was spread across the upper 0.8-1.0m across the site. The original sod line of peaty topsoil was visible in places. All trenches were excavated to subsoil layer of grey marl.
No archaeological finds, features or deposits were exposed during the course of testing. No further recommendations were considered necessary for this site
Pier Rd., Enniscrone, Co. Sligo
