2023:319 - Kilboglashy, Sligo

The development will consist of demolition of derelict structures (locally known as Mrs Kitchen’s), and the construction of 15 houses on this site, together with the creation of public open space, works to site boundaries, and all other associated site works and services at Kilboglashy, Ballisodare, Co. Sligo. The overall size of the site is 0.51 hectares (circa 1.26 acres).

Test trenching was undertaken on 19 September 2023. All trenches were excavated to the top of the natural substrate, to determine whether subsurface archaeological material was present. The trenches were excavated using a 14-tonne mechanical excavator equipped with a graded bucket 2m wide.

The site consists of two main areas divided into the eastern (Field 1) and western (Field 2) fields which are divided by a tree-lined field boundary. Field 1 comprises a large garden plot associated with the extant derelict property. Field 2 comprised a small grass-covered field enclosed by stone walls and adjacent to a housing development along the southern boundary.

A total of 325.10m test trenches of varying lengths and depths were excavated across the proposed development area. The trenches were excavated parallel with one another, mostly running north-south following the contours of the land and spaced 10m apart. Test Trenches 1-4 were in Field 2, and Test Trenches 5-10 were in Field 1. All trenches were excavated to the underlying natural substrate which in most of the trenches comprised an orangey-brown boulder clay with occasional decayed limestone stone and frequent small and medium-sized stones, and occasional large boulders.

Material of archaeological nature was noted in Test Trench 9 in the form of a shell midden. The midden was found at ITM 566547/829401 and comprised of a deposit of fragmented oyster shells in a blackened soil matrix. It measured 0.2m (east-west) wide, by 0.4m length and below 0.5m of overburden. The midden extended westwards under the baulk of the trench. Fragments of animal bone were also noted within the topsoil and appeared to have butchery marks on their surfaces. It is unclear what period the animal bone and midden date from. The material may be associated with the nearby derelict house given the occurrence of modern rubbish in the topsoil across the site. The presence of a midden SL020-109013- approximately 50m east of this midden indicates that it may be of archaeological significance. Following recording of the midden in Test Trench 9 the feature was covered in geotextile and backfilled with topsoil.

Cooldrumman Upper, Carney, Co. Sligo