2026:216 - Ballyleck, Monaghan, Monaghan

An area measuring c. 50m by 20m was cleared of scrub and tree stumps and the ground reduced to the required level. It was not reduced to natural ground as the formation level did not require this, and in fact the ground had to be built up in places. Two cuttings were made for slurry tanks. These were dug down to natural ground. The cuttings were c. 2m by 17m and reached a depth of 1.4m. The topsoil was a dark brown silty clay that lay over another deposit of made-up ground that comprised a mix of topsoil with frequent red brick fragments, fragments of mortar, stone and fragments of ceramic waste pipes. The natural was a light greyish-brown sandy clay. In both cuttings for the slurry tanks (Slurry Tank 1 & 2), a culvert and a large stone drain were recorded, aligned northeast to southwest. The culvert comprised large stones bonded with mortar, with the addition of small stones, red brick fragments and slates, including perforated slates along the top of the culvert. On the north-east side of the culvert in Slurry Tank 1, the culvert was filled with a firm brown clay. On the south-west side, the stone collapsed. In Slurry Tank 2, the 1m ranging rod was easily able to fit into the base of the culvert and beyond. On the removal of the stones of the drain, water continued to flow in the cutting.  No archaeological structures, features or deposits were recorded during the course of monitoring.