What is recorded here

Five metres from the ringfort ditch in Newtownbalregan, a locked stone chamber hid behind a heavy internal door and breathing vents. Someone built forty-six metres of galleries to keep secrets, store treasure or escape danger, then abandoned the place to forgetfulness. The final gallery used rough field stone instead of quarried rock, suggesting a hurried end or a hidden boundary between the known world and the dark.

Excavated in advance of the construction of the M1 Dundalk Western Bypass (Excavation Licence No. 03E0115). Located c. 5m SW of a ringfort ditch (LH007-142001-).'The Man-made underground passage consisted of: six galleries; two rectangular and corbelled chambers, both with external air vents; three lighting alcoves (one stone-lined); one entrance grille/door (Gallery 1); one large internal door with jambs and locking arrangement (Gallery 2); and one drop-hole (Chamber 1). Included as a capstone near the entrance to Gallery 3 was a large, reused piece of highly decorated megalithic art. The Man-made underground passage was built using two building materials: quarried stone for Galleries 1-5 and Chamber 1, but rougher 'field stone' for Gallery 6 (which was entered via the drop-hole from Chamber 1) and the large Chamber 2'. The total L of the passages was 46m, 33m of which was intact. (Bayley 2006, 343) Reference: Bayley, D. (2006) 'Newtownbalregan Ringfort with Man-made underground passage' in I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2003: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 343 (No. 1286). Bray. Wordwell Compiled by: Claire Breen Date of upload: 8 December 2011

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