Standing stone in Carnamogagh Lower

Excavation licence number 02E0202. Monitoring was carried out at the IDA Business and Technology Park, Lisnenan, Letterkenny, from 12 to 25 March 2002. Phase 1 of the development comprises the building of distributor roads and services. The site comprised pasture fields with frequent rock outcrops on a south-facing slope overlooking the wide valley of the River Swilly. A flax mill and pond formerly stood slightly to the north-east of the site, but this area is now occupied by a reservoir and pump-house built in the 1970s. Stratigraphy encountered comprised topsoil, a gravelly silt with stone inclusions, overlying a mid-olive to yellow/brown, sandy boulder clay, which in turn overlay schist bedrock. Nothing of archaeological significance was noted during the monitoring. However, a rounded upright stone, 0.8m high, was observed at the north-eastern edge of the site. This may be a prehistoric standing stone or a modern scratching stone for livestock. It will not be affected by Phase 1 of the works but would be by future phases of the development. (Excavations Bulletin 2002) Tom Rogers, Moore Ltd, Unit 6, Riveroaks, Claregalway, Co. Galway.