2022:415 - Ballyboyle, Donegal

Monitoring of groundworks as part of a development in Ballyboyle townland, c. 2.5km south-west of Donegal Town in County Donegal, was carried out on 22 February 2022. The development consisted of the construction of a two-storey dwelling house and domestic garage. The monitoring was a condition of planning permission granted by Donegal County Council and was necessary as the proposed development site was located within the constraint for ecclesiastical remains (RMP No. DG099-009), which consisted of the the site of an abbey located adjacent to the south-west of the site. No trace of any structure remained and the site was occupied by a modern house and garden.
The proposed development was located on the north-west shore of an inlet of Donegal Bay and consisted of a featureless field of pasture. There was no visible surface trace of two buildings marked on the site on the 1st edition of the OS six-inch map dating to 1834-5.
The groundworks consisted of those associated with the reduction in levels for the new dwelling, entrance, driveway, garage and wastewater sewage treatment system. These areas were reduced to the natural subsoil or to the required level, whichever was higher.
The area excavated for the dwelling and garage measured 25.3m x 25.1m. It was reduced by 0.35-0.55m. The area excavated for the driveway along the south-west side of the new dwelling measured 23m x 8m. It was reduced by 0.25-0.4m. The area reduced for the wastewater treatment plant measured 21.5m x 8m. It was reduced by 0.3-0.6m. The driveway from the entrance to the dwelling measured 25m long, 4-4.5m wide and was reduced by 0.2-0.3m.
The stratigraphy encountered during the monitoring of groundworks was topsoil above natural subsoil, peat, chippings, modern fill and a wall.
Modern pottery sherds, one large rim sherd (Find No. 22E0058:1) of 18th/19th-century date, red brick, plastic, one modern glass fragment, shell fragments and one un-inscribed clay pipe stem were found in the topsoil. The peat was found at the north-west end of the area reduced. The chippings appeared to be part of a former driveway into the adjacent property to the south-west. The fill contained modern artefacts and was associated with the adjacent driveway. The mortared rubble and red brick wall measured 2.5m long and 0.55m wide and appeared to be the remains of one of the buildings marked on the 1st edition of the OS six-inch map. It was not removed as part of the development.
Nothing of archaeological significance was in evidence.

4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, County Mayo