2021:569 - N55 Corduff to South of Killydoon Realignment Scheme: Ballytrust Lower 1–5, Cavan

Archaeological excavations took place at Ballytrust Lower 1–5 in advance of the construction of the proposed N55 Corduff to South of Killydoon Realignment Scheme, Section B, Co. Cavan. The
sites were largely identified during Stage (i)a Test Excavation Services of the proposed route, carried out by Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit Ltd on behalf of Cavan County Council from 1–8 February 2021, under Licence Nos 20E0729 and 20R0264.
As part of the Stage (ii) Pre-excavation Services, areas measuring 1350 m² centred on the features at Ballytrust Lower 1–3; 620 m² centred on the features at Ballytrust Lower 4 and 600 m² centred on the features at Ballytrust Lower 5, were stripped of topsoil by mechanical excavator, cleaned by a team of archaeologists and planned. Excavation was then carried out between July and October 2021 under Excavation Licence No. 20E0244. Four prehistoric burnt mounds or fulachta fiadh were identified at Ballytrust Lower 1–3 and 5, while a number of occupation deposits and pits were identified at Ballytrust Lower 4.
At Ballytrust Lower 1–3, three deposits of burnt mound material (C111, C108 and C100 respectively) were found in close proximity, with at least one trough identified underneath each burnt mound. At Ballytrust Lower 1, the trough (C143) was sub-rectangular in plan with two surviving stake-holes (C138 & C139) in the western and southern corners suggesting it may originally have been wood lined. This trough was cut by an oval-shaped pit (C129) and a possible gully (C127), perhaps relating to water management at the site or even a second trough. At Ballytrust Lower 2, the trough (C121) was sub-circular in plan and a plank lining (C124; T2–T5) partially survived on the base. A large, sub-rectangular pit (C114) positioned 0.4m west of the trough did not have any evidence for an organic lining but could equally have served as a trough. At Ballytrust Lower 3, the trough (C104) was kidney-shaped in plan but it had been truncated by a pair of intercutting pits (C155 & C156), both of which were oval/sub-oval in plan and had bark lining along the base and sides. The function of these pits is unclear but they could also have served as troughs or other water-holding receptacles. Another pit (C105) was located 1.15m north-west of trough C104 and it appeared to be sub-rectangular in plan but had been largely truncated by a field boundary ditch.
Located 50m to the north of Ballytrust Lower 1–3 was Ballytrust Lower 5. Here, a horseshoe-shaped burnt mound (C112) extended further eastwards beyond the limit of the excavation area but a trough (C130) was found underneath the open, western extent of the mound. This trough was sub-circular in plan and the base was partially lined with planks (C142; T6–T9) and the sides with wattle (C139; T11–T12). There was also evidence for a moss lining between the trough cut and the wood lining, which would have functioned as a filtering system. Part of a wooden plank (T10) and a wooden stake (T1) were also recovered from the burnt mound in the vicinity of the trough, suggesting they were likely displaced from the wood lining, with another displaced wooden stake (T13) found underneath the plank lining of the trough.
Located 236m to the south of Ballytrust Lower 1–3 was Ballytrust Lower 4. This site included five concentrations of redeposited natural subsoil mixed with occasional charcoal and small rounded stones (C10, C11, C13, C17 & C18), representing occupation material that filled natural hollows in the south-eastern area of the site. One sherd of pottery (20E0244:18:1) was recovered from deposit C18. A possible Y-shaped gully (C3) was also identified within deposit C17 and a further three sherds of pottery (20E0244:9:1–3) were recovered from its fill.
Approximately 21m to the south-west of this gully was a pit (C23) associated with a post-hole (C24) and a stake-hole (C28). Over 38.5m to the north-east was another pit (C4) that also included eight sherds of pottery (20E0244:5:1–8), while another sherd (20E0244:20:1) was found c. 1m to the north on the natural subsoil representing the old ground surface. A third pit (C6) was positioned c. 2m north-east of pit C4 and it contained frequent inclusions of oxidized clay, although there was no evidence for in situ burning. During the Stage (i)a Test Excavation Services at this site, two additional sherds of pottery, one rim sherd and one large base sherd, were recovered and identified as dating to the Beaker period. Overall, this site appears to represent some form of settlement activity in this area, possibly dating to the Chalcolithic period (2450–2200 BC).

Unit 21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth. A92 DH99.