2022:950 - Kilbegley, Roscommon

Archaeological monitoring was carried out on the site of a proposed cemetery extension at Kilbegly, Co. Roscommon, in October and December 2022. The proposed development is partly located within the Zone of Archaeological Potential for Recorded Monument GA054-027 (-001 Church, -002 Graveyard & -003 Ecclesiastical Enclosure), and lies immediately west of an exclusion zone established around the ecclesiastical enclosure identified in a geophysical survey (LGS, 2015). Subsequent to the findings of the 2015 survey, it was proposed to site the cemetery extension on land in the west extent of the field. The selected site was subject to geophysical survey (Earthsound, 2016) and archaeological testing (Ref. 2018:879). No archaeology was found but this land subsequently became unavailable for development, and efforts were re-focused on the plot of land immediately west of the archaeological exclusion zone. The newly-selected site, which had formed part of the 2015 geophysical survey, was subject to archaeological testing in June 2021 (Ref. 2021:458). No archaeology was found but archaeological monitoring of site development works was recommended.

Archaeological monitoring of excavations associated with the development of the cemetery extension was carried out in October and December 2022. The works consisted of excavations for boundary walls, site entrance, pathways and a waterpipe trench. No archaeology was found during monitoring.