2020:258 - Ballaghaline, Doolin, Clare

The monitoring of the clay layer beneath the storm beach at the mouth of the Aille River in Ballaghaline near Doolin, which has been ongoing since 2014, continued in 2020. This recording of areas of erosion, where concentrations of shale flakes, axe roughouts and hammerstones were identified, led to the excavation from 2015 to 2019 of Trenches 1-5 (see Excavations.ie 2015:143; 2017:206; 2018:324; 2019:317). The excavations have shown that the knapping of shale axe roughouts as well as other tools was carried out across a large area of what is now a storm beach. This material is similar to that recorded by M. Knowles at the end of the 19th century.
The licenced monitoring and collection of surface finds from the survey area continued during 2020. This confirmed that the erosion of the clay layer beneath the storm beach is continuous and that archaeological material is still being uncovered by the sea. The surface finds collected included axe roughouts, flakes and hammerstones. It was not feasible to carry out excavations in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. It is proposed to continue with monitoring and the collection of surface finds during 2021 with appropriate excavation when suitable conditions arise.

Acknowledgements:
Thanks are due to the landowner, Mr. Cyril Nagle, for his permission to access the site and to the Burrenbeo Trust Conservation Volunteers for their essential contribution.
Thanks are also due to the NMS and NMI for the extensions of the licence for the excavation, monitoring and collection of surface finds on the site.

References:
Knowles, M 1901, Kitchen Middens, Co. Clare. Journal of the Limerick Field Club 2, 35-42.
Lynch, M. 2017. The Later Mesolithic on the North-West Coast of Clare. Archaeology Ireland Vol. 31. No.4.

Leana, Killinaboy, Co. Clare.