2024:429 - Garranes, Templemartin, Cork

Test excavation was carried out at a development site for a single dwelling house which was within the greater area surrounding Garranes ringfort, the possible royal residence of a branch of the Eoganacht (CO084-084). In 2010 a geophysical survey was carried out by UCC (09R56) which identified two anomalies within the development area which were not considered to be potential archaeological features at the time.

Eight test trenches were excavated with a total length of c.225m covering the development as well as the the location of the two anomalies. The general stratigraphy consisted of between 0.25m and 0.4m of a loamy, mid-brown topsoil overlying an orange boulder clay with areas of gravel and larger field stones. Irregular patches of charcoal and silts, as well as east-west plough marks, were indicative  of agricultural activity. No archaeology was found.