The first, Sminver 1a, was a prehistoric burnt spread initially discovered by Brian O’Donnchadha during linear testing the previous year. The second, Sminver 1b, was a holy well recorded in the Sites and Monuments Record as SMR 107:57. When the team, led by Fintan Walsh of Irish Archaeological Consultancy, began their 425 metre excavation under licence 04E0017, they made an unexpected discovery: another burnt spread just 12 metres east of the well, hidden in the wet boggy land south of the River Erne.

The newly discovered burnt mound measured 4 metres by 8.4 metres and sat in a natural bowl of boggy pasture, surrounded by gentle slopes on three sides and a steep hill to the south. The roughly rectangular mound, oriented northwest to southeast, consisted of black, charcoal flecked sandy peat just 10 centimetres deep. Though a modern field drain had cut through its western edge, the damage was minimal. Analysis of the charcoal revealed it came from hazel and birch wood, common fuel sources in prehistoric Ireland. Radiocarbon dating placed the mound firmly in the Bronze Age, between 2140 and 1870 BC, making it approximately 4,000 years old.

The holy well at Sminver 1b presented a different challenge entirely. Recognised as a site of cultural and spiritual significance, it required careful preservation rather than excavation. The National Roads Authority and Donegal County Council modified the road design to protect the well and its surroundings, allowing it to remain undisturbed for future generations. The feature was carefully exposed, cleaned, and recorded before being left in situ; a rare example of modern infrastructure adapting to preserve ancient heritage. Meanwhile, the burnt spread underwent full excavation, adding another piece to our understanding of Bronze Age life in this corner of Donegal.