The Donegal Town Bypass

Construction of the Donegal Town By-Pass on the National Primary Route was completed in July 1999.

Official opening of Donegal Town by-pass

Colour photograph of Minister for the Environment Noel Dempsey and Donegal County Council officials in a decorated horse-drawn trap. The occasion was the official opening of the Donegal Town by-pass July 1999

Donegal County Council

Official opening of Donegal Town by-pass
Donegal County Council

Official opening of Donegal Town by-pass

Colour photograph of Minister for the Environment Noel Dempsey and Donegal County Council officials in a decorated horse-drawn trap. The occasion was the official opening of the Donegal Town by-pass July 1999

Donegal County Council

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The first "traffic" to officially use the new by-pass! Minister for the Environment, Mr Noel Dempsey, with Donegal County Manager, Michael McLoone and Donegal County Council officials.

The new bypass at Mountcharles, County Donegal is a continuation of the road system to the south of the county. Work is to commence in 2004 on the N15 Bundoran to Ballyshannon bypass. Construction is scheduled to begin in the middle of the year, with the road being opened to traffic in 2006.

Another N15 bypass that will come into focus is the one earmarked for Ballybofey-Stranorlar. This project has been selected by the National Roads Authority  (NRA) as a pilot scheme for the proposed roads type. Perhaps one of the highlights for the long term is the fact that the NRA agreed to a 20-year lease for the new National Road Design Office at the Public Service Centre, Drumlonagher, Donegal Town.

Archaeological excavation at Ballyhanna

Colour photograph of a team of archaeologists excavating a medieval burial site near Ballyshannon, Co Donegal

Donegal County Council

Archaeological excavation at Ballyhanna
Donegal County Council

Archaeological excavation at Ballyhanna

Colour photograph of a team of archaeologists excavating a medieval burial site near Ballyshannon, Co Donegal

Donegal County Council

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Interestingly, an ancient burial site was uncovered at Drumrat during roadworks along the Ballyshannon-Bundoran route. Major finds include a Court Tomb overlooked by a Neolithic house with an adjacent area where there was evidence of burning, possibly a fulacht fiadh, or cooking area. Most of the building with its walls was well preserved. Artefacts include polished stone axes, scrapers, arrowheads and pottery.

Drumrat court tomb was excavated under licence from Duchas (the heritage body) and the National Museum of Ireland in order to allow construction of the bypass to continue. A team of archaeologists funded by Donegal County Council in association with the National Roads Authority and the European Union conducted assessment, monitoring and excavations. Overall, Donegal County Council spent an average of E2.5 million facilitating archaeological excavation along this route.

Mountcharles Bypass

Colour photo of the new road bypassing the village of Mountcharles, Co Donegal. The photo shows the new highway to the south of the county, with views of the sea in the background, and the steep slip-road leading into the village on the left.

Donegal County Council

Mountcharles Bypass
Donegal County Council

Mountcharles Bypass

Colour photo of the new road bypassing the village of Mountcharles, Co Donegal. The photo shows the new highway to the south of the county, with views of the sea in the background, and the steep slip-road leading into the village on the left.

Donegal County Council

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As the roadworks on this system progressed further south another remarkable archaeological site was revealed. In December 2003, at Ballyhanna, near Ballyshannon, an ancient Christian burial site was discovered, containing over 700 human skeletons. Preliminary investigation dated this site anywhere from 1100 AD to 1400 AD. However, coins found sewn into the clothing of one body narrowed it down to circa 1250 AD - the early medieval period. An unusual aspect of the burials was the placing of a quartz crystal in the hands of the deceased. It is widely believed by archaeologists that what has been unearthed is a Cistercian "Church of Ease". The mother chapel of the Cistercians was the Abbey of Assaroe on the north side of the River Erne at Ballyshannon.