County: Sligo Site name: Ardkeeran
Sites and Monuments Record No.: None Licence number: 21E0843
Author: Richard Crumlish
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 574188m, N 820459m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.132512, -8.394948
The test excavation of a site in advance of its development at Ardkeeran townland, Riverstown, Co. Sligo, was carried out between 20 and 22 December 2021. The report will accompany a planning application to the local authority for the proposed development which consists of an all-weather astroturf pitch, associated flood lighting and fencing, dressing rooms, entrances and access roads, car parking, sewage pumping station and storm water attenuation tanks along with a terrace of six dwelling houses, connection to services and ancillary site development works. The testing was necessary due to the size of the proposed development site.
The site is located across two fields of pasture at the northern edge of Riverstown, bounded by the Arrow Unshin river to the north and by public roads to the east and south. A disused farmyard is located to the north-east. A small, early 20th-century building known as 'The Forge' is located in the south-east corner of the field to the east. No recorded monuments were located within or in the immediate vicinity of the proposed development site.
The testing consisted of the excavation of thirteen trenches, located to best cover the area of the proposed development, while avoiding a number of overhead power lines which cross the site. The trenches measured 40.4m, 40.1m, 45.4m, 50m, 31.6m, 60.7m, 58m, 58m, 57.4m, 40m, 59m, 49.4m and 40.2m long respectively; 1.8-2.3m wide and 0.3-1.6m deep.
The testing revealed topsoil above three areas of fill and natural subsoils. The stratigraphy in the field to the west was natural and undisturbed. Two of the three areas of fill in the field to the east were the result of the back-filling of a raised area of natural sand and gravel which had been the subject of small-scale quarrying in the past. The third area of fill, in the same field, consisted of modern domestic rubbish and builder's rubble. A blackware rim sherd found in the spoil was retained. None of the remaining modern artefacts which were recovered were retained. Nothing of archaeological significance was in evidence.
4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, County Mayo
