County: Leitrim Site name: N16 Drummahan Realignment, Drummahan
Sites and Monuments Record No.: n/a Licence number: 18E0430 ext.
Author: Liam Coen c/o Archer Heritage Planning
Site type: Testing, no archaeology found
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 580038m, N 841298m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.320021, -8.306825
Test-excavations were undertaken in October 2018 under licence no. 18E0430 (O’Hara 2018), in advance of a realignment scheme of the N16 road in the townlands of Diffreen, Drummahan and Tawnamachugh. The scheme was divided into ten areas (Areas 1-10) but due to access problems for Area 10 at that time testing was postponed there. Following resolution of these issues an extension to the Licence was issued and transferred to the current licensee and test-excavations for Area 10 took place in November 2019.
A single north-east/south-west running trench was initially proposed for the Licence extension in Area 10 but due to on-site conditions, namely the steep slope and unstable ground, an amended trench layout was agreed with the Project Archaeologist (Martin Jones, TII). This entailed the excavation of the western portion and then three shorter trenches excavated down-slope across the testing area to compensate for the abandonment of the eastern portion of the original trench. No archaeological features or material was identified in the course of the test-excavation.
Reference:
O’Hara, R. 2018 ‘N16 Drummahan Realignment, Archaeological Consultancy Services Contract, [Stage (i) Services], Licence no. 18E0430’. Unpublished report prepared by Archer Heritage on behalf of Leitrim County Council.
Archer Heritage Planning, 8 Beat Centre, Stephenstown, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin.
