2025:598 - Cavan Regional Sports Campus, Kilnavara, Cavan, Cavan

A test excavation was carried out on a large site at Lurganboy and Kilnavara, Cavan, Co. Cavan in September 2025. The test excavation followed a geophysical survey (25R0150) that was carried out on the site. The survey detected a couple of possible archaeological features. Test trenches were placed over these anomalies to determine their nature and extent as well as trenches covering the entire area of the site. 98 test trenches were excavated with a sum total length of 2159m.

The natural ground was found to be mainly a compact, mid-orangish/greyish brown boulder clay with frequent small subangular stones. The flat areas of the site beside the river had a compact, mid-bluish grey clay natural. A deep layer of peat (between 2m and 2.5m on average) was located above this clay, likely the result of being a floodplain of the river. One of the geophysical anomalies was in this part of the site. It appears that wooden fragments from trees etc. in the peat were the cause of this anomaly.

A small area of charcoal and oxidised clay was found in an area on the slope of a hill. However, this was beside a dumping ground (mainly grass) and this may have been the cause for the feature.

The site was covered by numerous land drains, both ceramic and stone-filled drains. These were detected in the geophysical survey. Many trenches contained several of them across their length. One anomaly in the geophysical survey may be a result of a ceramic land drain and stonier ground. Traces of old field boundaries were found in a couple of trenches. Fragments of modern brick and charcoal were found along the base of some trenches, possibly explaining smaller anomalies detected in the survey.

Overall, the site was devoid of archaeological features. The site was covered by modern ceramic and stone-filled land drains and the traces of plough scars in some areas.