2024:432 - Ballydaly, Cork

As part of an archaeological assessment, a testing licence was required for the proposed construction of a domestic house and ancillary works in the townland of Ballydaly in Co. Cork due to the close proximity of the proposed dwelling house to a Ringfort and Souterrain, CO038-070 and CO038-122.

The site was monitored on 21 May 2024. The weather was a dry sunny day with occasional heavy showers. The topsoil was removed using a 1.5m-wide grading bucket.  All 7 trenches were excavated.

The topsoil was a dry light brown loose clay with a moderate density of stones. The depth of topsoil varied across the site but was on average c. 0.3m. Two distinct subsoils (C.2, C.3) were noted on site.  C.2 in the northern portions of the trenches was a light red loose silty clay with a high density of stones while in the southern portions of the trenches the subsoil (C.3) was a light brown compact silty clay with a moderate density of stones. Evidence of shallow potato ridges was present in 2 of the trenches (T.5 and T.6). The landowner, now retired, recalled when he was a boy this field was used to grew potatoes, turnips and cabbage. There was no other variation in either topsoil or subsoils across the site.

No archaeological features or deposits were noted in the exposed subsoil.