2024:201 - Uisce Éireann’s Water Network Programme, Drumiskabole Crossroads to Ballysadare schemes, Sligo

Archaeological monitoring of groundworks was undertaken for Uisce Éireann’s Water Network Programme, Drumiskabole Crossroads to Ballysadare schemes (UÉ Scheme IDs: 26256651 and 26256654) located along the N59, Carrowroe Road (L3608) and the L3603, north of Ballysadare in the townlands of Ballysadare, Knockmuldoney, Belladrihid, Drumaskibbole and Carrowgobbadagh in Co. Sligo. The schemes involved the installation of a total of c.3,543m of rehabilitated water mains within the existing road carriageways and a footpath. The monitoring followed a high-level Cultural Heritage Screening Assessment (CHSA) undertaken for the scheme by Archaeological Management Solutions. The archaeological monitoring was carried out intermittently between 29 June 2023–23 April 2024. Excavation of sections of a continuous open-cut trench, totalling c.280m, several access pits (AP) to facilitate the horizontal directional drilling and slip-lining installation methods, and one trial hole were archaeologically monitored.

Drumiskabole Crossroads scheme

An open-cut continuous trench measuring 0.6 in width and 1–1.2m in depth was located in close proximity to the Zone of Notification (ZoN) for field boundary (SL020-121002) along the L3603 road carriageway. In the trench, the modern road surface measured 0.3m in depth on average, this overlay a layer of the natural subsoil consisting of mid-brownish-orange gravelly silty sand with stone and occasional boulder inclusions. A stone mortared culvert measuring c.7.3m in width was revealed at a depth of 0.4–0.6m m below ground level in the trench located in close proximity to a culvert (site of; CH42), a ford (site of, CH43) and a watercourse (CH49).

Ballysadare scheme

The monitoring was carried out within the Zone of Archaeological Potential for ecclesiastical remains (SL020-109) and within the ZoN for bridge (SL020-249). The groundworks comprised several APs to facilitate the slip-lining installation method along the southern side of a footpath and a section of continuous open-cut trench totalling c.50m along the N59 road carriageway. The APs measured between 2.5–3m by 1–1.5m by 1.2m in depth on average and were excavated on top of the existing water mains. The modern built-up ground and grey gravel were revealed in all these APs to a depth of 1.2m BGL. In the open-cut trench measuring 0.6 in width and 1–1.2m in depth, underlying the modern road surface measuring 0.8m in depth was the natural subsoil consisting mid yellow stony sandy clay. The trenching continued further to the southeast in Ballysadare in the proximity of a graveyard associated with the Holy Trinity Church of Ireland (RPS 260 / NIAH 32309008). It was noted that underlying a 0.2m deep modern road surface was a 0.05–0.2m layer of the mid-orange sandy clay overlying bedrock to a depth of 1.2m BGL.

No potential archaeological objects, features or deposits were revealed in the trenches along the Drumiskabole Crossroads to Ballysadare schemes.

Fahy's Road, Kilrush, Co Clare.