2020:225 - Drumrat, Old Laghy Road, Donegal Town, Donegal

A programme of archaeological testing was conducted on the site of a proposed housing development at Drumrat, Donegal, on 20 and 21 February 2020. A total of four trenches (200m in length) were proposed for this site; two of them were fully completed and the remainder were partially excavated and abandoned due to ground conditions and associated health and safety concerns.

Trench 4 was excavated in parallel to the southern boundary of the field, on a relatively steep slope merging northwards into a lower and flatter area. The topsoil in this trench consisted of mid-brown clayey silt overlaying a mottled orange and brown sandy clay with pockets of decayed stones and frequent root activity. A possible hearth was identified within the south-western half of Trench 4. The north-eastern quarter of Trench 3 (starting off on a slightly higher platform noted at the eastern corner of the site) was similar to Trench 4. Further to the south-west, the topsoil transitioned to light brown sandy clay overlaying a peaty grey marly clay. Within this context, two burnt spreads (possibly the remnants of fulachta fiadh) were identified, spaced by approximately 20m.

Trenches 1 and 2 were completely different from the previous. The topsoil consisted of deep peat (increasing north-eastwards) overlaying light grey and brown clay. Due to ground conditions, these two trenches were partially excavated before being abandoned.

Burnside, St. Oran's road, Buncrana, Co. Donegal