Company name: Gahan & Long

Description: Gahan and Long identified the remains of a probable Early Medieval rath site during pre-construction testing of the new Olar Valley residential development on the outskirts of Ballyclare. Raths, also known as forts', 'forths' and ring-forts, are the field monuments most commonly found in the Irish countryside. The area of the potential monument was topsoil stripped to reveal a roughly circular enclosure with an approximate diameter of 30m which was then fully excavated and recorded. Pottery recovered from the excavation confirmed that the site dated to the Early Medival period (500-1100AD) One pit from the site produced a collection of flint tools. Expert analysis of these identified them to date to the Late Mesolithic period, approximately 8000 years ago!