County: Sligo Site name: Kilboglashy
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SL020-109009- Licence number: 24E0320
Author: Tamlyn McHugh
Site type: Burials
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 566483m, N 829545m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.213708, -8.513848
The area under archaeological assessment is located at Kilboglashy, Ballisodare, Co. Sligo. The proposed development site comprises a large field (3.1 hectares in size) to the northwest of Ballisodare town. No planning number exists for the development – testing was part of pre-planning investigations. Due to the location of the proposed development area within the Zone of Archaeological Potential for ecclesiastical complex of St. Fechin’s, RMP SL020-109001 - Church, and RMP SL020-109002- Graveyard, SL020-109009- : Cairn – unclassified and RMP SL020-109014- Enclosure, it was recommended that archaeological testing of the entire proposed development area be conducted to ascertain if any buried archaeological features exist with the site.
Following geophysical survey (device consent number 24R0020, Bonsall 2024) which was conducted in January 2024, archaeological testing was undertaken over the course of two days, 13 and 17 May 2024. Seven trenches were excavated under archaeological supervision and the trenching scheme was designed to also target the anomalies identified in the geophysical survey that had archaeological potential, including two C-shaped or penannular features.
During test trenching the penannular features were not identified but a shell midden was discovered in Test Trench 6 in the north-western area of the site. Three burials were found at the south-eastern area of the site, two (SK1 & SK2) in Test Trench 1 and a further burial (SK3) in Test Trench 4.
It was recommended that the midden and burials be preserved in situ, and that no further test trenching should take place in the vicinity of the burial ground where SK1, SK2 & SK3 were uncovered and where there is high potential for further archaeological material, including human remains, to be uncovered. The testing works ceased on the recommendation of the archaeologist after the discovery of the burials and no development is currently proposed for this site at Kilboglashy, Ballisodare, Co. Sligo.
Cooldrumman Upper, Carney, Co. Sligo
