Man-made underground passage in Magheraboy

This Man-made underground passage, of drystone construction with lintel roofing, was recorded in 2005 during a pre-development archaeological assessment. The inspection revealed that the Man-made underground passage had been accessed previously in the modern era, and had been modified. Current access is through an opening (0.6m by 0.65m) at ground level. The opening is not original, but was the result of the collapse of two stone roofing lintels into the passage beneath. The passage (Wth 0.55m; H 0.8m), oriented NE−SW, could not be explored along its SW extent as it is blocked by a metal grate 2.7m to SW of the opening. The passage extends 2.4m to NE of the opening, where it intersects with a N−S passage (Wth 0.5m; H 0.6m). The N−S passage ends 1.65m to S of the junction; it was not possible to investigate how far it extended to N of the junction. Evidence of relatively recent modification of the Man-made underground passage included the metal grate blocking the NE−SW passage, cement coursing on the wall adjacent to the current opening, and the replacement of original stone lintels with concrete slabs along a section of the passage immediately to SW of the opening. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 22 June 2018