Kilbride Ecclesiastical Enclosure — Ballylosky

Marked on the OS 6-inch maps as Kilbride, the site consists of a subrectangular enclosure c. 32m E-W × c. 20m N-S. There is an entrance in the NE corner. The W side of the site is raised above the external ground. Just W of the enclosure is a standing stone 1.75m high and 0.65m N-S and 0.34m to .21m thick. On the W face is an incised cross with D-shaped terminals (DG011-037002-). On the N, narrow edge is a shallow, incised human face (DG011-037003-). The site is located in grazing land sloping gently to the W and the Glentogher river, about half a mile S of the Carndonagh complex (DG011-035). See also souterrain (DG011-036). The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of upload: 22 September 2008 Excavation Number : 95E149 The site of the proposed development is located 20m south of the enclosing element of an early ecclesiastical site recorded in the Archaeological Survey of County Donegal as site No. 1517(1983, 243). In July 1995, a series of seven test-trenches were excavated down to natural boulder clay or gravel with a mechanical digger at the northern end of the proposed development site. Trenches 1-5, which ran in a north-south direction, were 30m long. Trench 6 ran perpendicular to Trenches 1-5 and was 75m long. Trench 7, which was parallel to and approximately 30m south of Trench 6, was 74m long. All trenches were 2m wide. The stratigraphy within each trench was as follows: Trenches 1-3, 5-7: The sod and topsoil directly overlay a natural orange/light brown boulder clay and gravel. Trench 4: At the northern end, the soil and topsoil (0.34m thick) directly overlay a natural orange and mottled grey boulder clay. A modern plastic water-pipe ran east-west across the northern end of the trench. Further south of the pipe, a layer of stone (0.8m thick) directly overlay a natural grey daub. At the southern end of the trench, underlying the sod and topsoil (0.5m thick), was a layer of large boulders (1m thick) which lay directly on a natural grey daub. Water was evident at this level and the boulders may represent a recent attempt at filling up this marshy area. No archaeological features or small finds were recovered from any of the test-trenches. Gerry Walsh, Rathbawn Rd, Castlebar, Co. Mayo.