Bronze age discoveries at excavation site in Ballyshannon
Two Bronze Age discoveries have been uncovered at the excavation site for a new community hospital at Sheil Hospital, Ballyshannon.
The National Monuments Service and National Museum were made aware of the unearthing of the capstone last Monday (August 24t) and a team of three archaeologists have been on the sites since carefully examining the area where the capstone was unearthed and a wider area close to it. On Friday lst, August 28 the capstone was carefully removed from the site for further examination and analysis.
Subsequent further archaeological Investigations have uncovered the remains of an inverted urn burial. Urn burials date to the Bronze Age and comprise a large ceramic pot usually highly decorated; and containing cremated remains.
Mr Shane Campbell, HSE Estates Manager, North West was present at the unearthing and stated "The earth removal work that started last week is part of an overall €21 million euro construction of the new Sheil Community Hospital. I wish to offer reassurance that work is continuing on site as planned. The contractor is on site and continuing with the site clearance, removal of trees etc and erecting the site Hhoarding, all as planned, the archaeological works will not delay the overall works programme. The HSE would like to thank Tamlyn McHugh and Fadó Archaeology for their painstaking work in uncovering these significant historical artefacts and ensuring they are properly conserved."