As a bulldozer levelled the undulating agricultural land, it uncovered an ancient burial cist nearly a metre below the surface. This prompted an immediate excavation by archaeologists from the National Museum of Ireland, who identified not just one, but three confirmed Bronze Age cists and a possible fourth funerary monument at the site.

The first cist, measuring just over a metre long and about two thirds of a metre wide, was a carefully constructed stone burial chamber. Its walls were formed by single slabs set on edge, though the northern slab had been displaced by the bulldozer. The eastern side featured an unusual construction with two slabs stacked atop each other, whilst the floor was neatly paved with three flat stones. Though the capstone that would have originally sealed the burial was missing, the contents remained remarkably intact.

Inside lay the skeleton of a young adult, probably male, accompanied by a beautifully decorated bipartite bowl. The vessel featured intricate impressed and incised patterns on its exterior, typical of Early Bronze Age pottery. Analysis of the man's teeth revealed a life marked by hardship; nutritional deficiency and acute illness during his childhood had left their mark on his dental remains. Radiocarbon dating of his bones placed his burial between 2290 and 2030 BC, firmly in the Early Bronze Age. This quiet corner of Donegal farmland had preserved a poignant glimpse into life and death over four thousand years ago.