2025:171 - Culleenduff, Strandhill, Sligo

In late 2024, human remains were found within a small trench excavated by SCC works on behalf of Uisce Éireann for water leakage repair work in Culleenduff townland, Strandhill, Co. Sligo. The find location lies within a Recorded Monument (SL014-139001-), which is classified as an enclosure.
The works ceased upon discovery of the bone and the find location was covered and secured. An Garda Síochána, the National Monuments Service and the National Museum of Ireland were notified, and the recovered human remains moved to Sligo Garda Station. Soil from the trench was moved to a Sligo County Council compound for storage.
Archaeological investigations comprised the examination and recording of the find spot, the retrieval of further loosened bone from the trench and the sieving of the previously excavated spoil.
Stratigraphy within the trench consisted of dark brown silty clay with inclusions of stone and marine shell throughout which extended to the trench base on the north-east end. On the south-west end the dark brown silty clay lay upon a layer of yellow clay. A concentration of marine shell was located towards the north-east half of the trench, occupying a substantial lens within dark brown silty clay.
Although fragments of human bone occurred throughout the dark brown silty clay at all levels, it was concentrated in an area to the south-west end of the trench where it appeared to lie upon the layer of yellow clay, though within the dark brown silty clay. Animal bone also occurred within the same layer.
No articulated bones were identified, nor could it be determined with certainly whether the human bone represented partially or minimally disturbed in-situ burials, or material that had been transported from elsewhere and redeposited. However, that much of the bone appeared to occupy a cluster and rest upon a specific layer at a depth of 0.47m below the existing ground level suggests that the find location of the bone is close to its original burial position, though possibly also disturbed and redeposited in the same approximate place.
Duplication of skeletal parts indicated that at least two individuals were represented. That the find does not represent a single isolated burial, combined with the fact that the find location lies within an enclosure, further strengthens that probability that the bone, as discovered, lies close to its original burial position. It is possible that the enclosure is associated with a cemetery and that the identified human bone represents a chance discovery of burials within this cemetery. It is possible that the observed disturbance of bone in the trench may have occurred during previous groundworks in the immediate vicinity, possibly when the original water pipe was being laid or when the roadside gate was inserted.
The stored excavated soil was wet sieved and all bone, both human and animal, was collected to be combined with the other retrieved bone for full osteoarchaeological analysis.