Man-made underground passage in Randalstown

Situated on rise in a fairly level landscape. A Man-made underground passage was discovered in topsoil stripping (E000309) by K. Campbell on the site of a mining development and was completely excavated (excavations.ie 1985:044) during 1985. It consisted of an undifferntiated passage (L 13.4m; max. Wth 1.2m) extending S (max. D 2m) and curving a little to the E that had only one surviving lintel. Two post-holes marked the entrance to the end-chamber (dims 5.4m N-S; Wth 1.2m) and another post-hole was in the centre of its floor space. There were two pits in the floor, one of which contained the bones of birds and a cat. An occupation deposit contained bones of cattle, sheep and pig, and the point of a bone pin. The backfill contained some sherds of Leinster cooking ware. Outside the entrance to the Man-made underground passage was a possible hearth surrounded by some post-holes creating a rectangular house (dims c. 6m E-W; c. 3m N-S) with two associated gullies, one running W and the other extending NW and then N and E. The house had opposing doorways (Wth 1.2m) marked by post-holes and there were eighteen pits on the surface, some within the house. Although there was a ditch (Wth of top 2.75m; D 1.45m) c. 15m NE of the Man-made underground passage entrance, it is not certain if it enclosed the house and Man-made underground passage. (Campbell 1985) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 10 July 2007 Revised: 27 March 2023 Campbell, K. 1985 Summary Report on Archaeological Excavations at Randalstown, Co. Meath. Licence: E000309. Unpublished report, Author