2021:279 - Carrowmore, Sligo

Archaeological monitoring was carried out at Carrowmore Co. Sligo. The proposed development works entailed the construction of a dwelling house on the site of an existing storage shed, on-site proprietary wastewater treatment system and associated site works. The total area comprises approximately 1.5 acres.
Within the vicinity of the development there are several recorded archaeological monuments associated with Carrowmore Passage Tomb Cemetery (National Monument No. 153).
The Planning Department of Sligo County Council requested that a suitably qualified archaeologist be engaged to conduct an archaeological impact assessment as part a pre-planning request related to the proposed development. This report was completed by the author in February 2019.
Site inspection took place on February 4, 2019. No finds or features of archaeological significance were noted during site inspection or during monitoring of engineering trial holes which were excavated at the site on the same day.
The proposed development is within the zone of archaeological potential for recorded monuments RMP SL014-209072 Megalithic Structure & SL014-209073 Megalithic Structure. Due to the proximity to known archaeological sites it was deemed that the site be subject to a programme of archaeological monitoring of topsoil stripping and associated works.
During the work a 15m exclusion zone was put in place in proximity to the location of SL014-209072 & SL014-209073 to prevent entry to this area by machinery and depositing materials in this area during the construction phase.
No archaeological material was uncovered during monitoring of the demolition of the existing shed and preparatory works at the site on October 14 and 15, 2019. A delay due to Covid 19 restrictions meant that the final monitoring of the installation of the septic tank system took place on July 12, 2021. No archaeological features or deposits were exposed during the archaeological monitoring.

Cooldrumman Upper, Carney, Co. Sligo