2023:306 - Cullagh More, Sligo

The work is being undertaken in the vicinity of Burnt Mound (SL008-224----) Cullagh More, Carney, Co. Sligo on behalf of Sligo County Council. The project entails the development of 25 Proposed Social Housing Units at for Sligo County Council. The total area comprises approximately 2.1 hectares and is a greenfield site within Carney village. Phase 1 of the housing scheme will be 1 hectare in size.

The Burnt Mound (SL008-224----) was discovered by the author during a site walkover on February 27, 2023, as part of an Archaeological Impact Assessment Report commissioned by the developer. A programme of archaeological monitoring was undertaken of the site investigation works involving subsurface investigations; these comprised six trial pits located at intervals across the site. Dynamic probes and boreholes are also proposed but will have little ground disturbances and do not require monitoring. Monitoring was conducted in the proposed development area (PDA) to ascertain the extent and nature of any subsurface remains that might exist within the site. All works were conducted using a mechanical mini-excavator. The burnt mound was cordoned off using temporary safety tape in order that those present were fully aware of the location of the monument and that no access was permitted within the constraints zone for the monument.

Each trial pit was 3m in length and 1m wide. The trail pits had a different depth depending on the depth to the underlying boulder clay or bedrock. Trial pit 1 was located at the easternmost point of the PDA and was excavated to a depth of 4.2m. The stratigraphy comprised friable peaty topsoil with roots overlying natural gravels over heavily compacted boulder clay. Trial pit 2 was located beside a deep drain that traverses the site running north-south. The trench had a depth of 3.4m and had similar stratigraphy to the previous trench but with the limestone bedrock rising and occurring as angular blocks. Trial pit 3 was located east of Harte’s Well and was excavated to a depth of 4.2m. This area was very wet, and the topsoil cover was waterlogged peaty clay, over marl which overlay limestone bedrock. Trial pit 4 was excavated to a depth of 2.6m and had a similar stratigraphy to the previous pit. It was located west of Harte’s Well and again was in a wet area where numerous springs occur. Trial pit 5 was excavated to a depth of 1.6m and was in the northern area of the site a few meters from the burnt mound. The final pit, Trial pit 6, was excavated north of the burnt mound and comprised of buried roots and vegetation which appears to have been accumulated in this area during a previous phase of clearance of the site. Below these buried roots was 1m of greyish-yellow boulder clay over limestone bedrock.

No archaeological material was observed during monitoring of the mechanical excavation of the six trial pits  The previously identified burnt mound was cordoned off with safety tape, establishing a temporary exclusion zone during the site investigations work, in which no machinery or materials were permitted access. The full extent of the burnt mound was revealed to be 8m (north-south) x 9m. The brunt mound was recorded and covered in geotextile terram, covered in topsoil and a post and wire fence erected providing an exclusion area of 14m (north-south) x 12m.

Cooldrumman Upper, Carney, Co. Sligo