2026:205 - Galway City, Galway

Galway City Council undertook the rehabilitation of Shop Street, Mainguard Street, William Street, High Street, Churchyard Street, Quay Lane and Quay Street in Galway City. This is due to wear and tear elements such as storm damage associated with rising river/sea levels, deterioration in surface water drainage provision, maintenance works to repair aging underground utilities and vehicle damage associated with goods deliveries.

Moore Group was commissioned by Galway City Council to monitor groundworks for phases 1-7 of the works between 2019 and 2026 under licence number 19E0298 (and extensions) and E005682. The project was subject to an archaeological assessment in 2018 which recommended full-time licensed archaeological monitoring of all groundworks within the historic town and the town defences (GA094-100— & 100001–). The works also intersected with the ‘Zone of Notification’ for both the old Town Hall (GA094-100039—) and the site of a marker cross (GA094-100053—) featured on historic mapping. Galway is part of the Irish Walled towns Network (GA094-100001—, Town defences) and contains within its precincts individual recorded monuments of national and regional significance. The historic core is also an Architectural Conservation Area as defined in the Galway City Council Development Plan and contains a frequency of protected structures/NIAH buildings.

The subject site was last resurfaced in 1999; service maps indicate a complex of utilities running the length of the street from northwest to southeast. They include a centreline large storm drain along Shop Street, a large stone-built culvert, power and telecoms and old service cast mains for both gas and water.

Notwithstanding this previous disturbance archaeological monitoring of the groundworks exposed in situ layers of archaeological potential including patches of the Galway Black layer, a previously recorded organic-rich, dark, deposit. Other notable features include dressed masonry an adult and a young adult skeleton outside the entrance to Café Express (No. 28 Shop Street Galway, ITM 529749 E 725209 N). These remains were excavated on 18 June 2019. Human remains were also encountered along Churchyard Lane which were preserved in situ.

To minimize disruption to local business the works were carried out on a phased basis between 2019 and 2026.

Archaeological monitoring of groundworks for Phase 1, the Shop Street section of the Galway Resurfacing project, took place between March 18 and June 21, 2019.

Much of this work was relatively shallow and impacted on modern infill – gravel, builders’ rubble and sand. From available service maps the length of Shop Street has a frequency of utilities, running fromnortheast to southwest. Crossing the width of the street north to south are power cables, ESB and various ducts; near the middle of the road is a large stone-built culvert for storm water, beyond this is a deep and very large water service; to the south is a re-purposed cast iron gas main and assorted ducts for eircom, broadband etc. Other developments that have impacted the ground include basements that extend under the street (Shop Street Nos 2, 3, 4, 5, 12 & 34). It is also notable that the present cobble setts and surface treatment followed extensive groundworks in 1999.

Groundworks 550mm outside Flanagan’s Chemist window exposed a foundation predating the present structure which was built in 1932. The foundation was visible as a line of roughly squared limestones 3.5m in length bonded by a white gritty mortar and truncated at either end by a manhole and gully. The wall was 470mm below the surface and was visible as a single course with an exposed depth of 0.12mm. Flanagan’s Chemist was previously the site of a Galway’s 17^th-century Tholsel/town hall (SMR GA094-100040–). Hardiman in his ‘History of the Town and County of Galway’ records that the Tholsel was an edifice standing at the extremity of Shop Street, near St Nicholas Church (p.299). The foundation, he states, was laid and building proceeded during the Civil Wars of the 1640s, however due to the ‘troubles’ works were interrupted, and it was not until 1709 during the reign of Queen Anne that the construction was complete. It is described as an ‘esteemed ornamental to the town’. A sketch in Hardiman’s History depicts the building as a detached six-bay two-story structure with an arcaded ground floor topped with a cupola on the roof. The arches, including two at the sides, rose from square pillars of hewn marble. In scale it measured 90-foot-long (27.4m) by 28 ft (8.5m) wide. This length fits with the footprint of the current range of buildings. The foundation was preserved in situ.

Groundworks 790mm outside the entrance to No. 28 Shop Street trading as Café Express, exposed human remains approximately 320mm below the existing paved surface. The remains were beside and had been impacted on by several linear utilities including three ducts and a power cable to the immediate north, a lead waterpipe to the east and five plastic ducts 650mm to the south. The loose bone comprised fragments of pelvis, arm bones and vertebrae. On discovery, all groundworks were immediately halted, and the relevant authorities and stakeholders informed.  Following discussions with the DCHG and NMI It was advised to cover and backfill the area and investigate if the remains were articulated and if they represented one or more individuals. Subsequent to consultation with Dr. Jim Higgins, Heritage Office Galway City Council, it was posited that the bones may be associated with the nearby graveyard of St Nicholas’ and may predate the 17^th-century Tholsel Building which previously stood on the site of the Café.

On receiving the required consent, the remains were excavated on 20 June 2016 by the author and Billy Quinn. The excavated area was sub-rectangular in plan constrained by pipes to the north and south, it measured 2m west southwest by east northeast by between 700-800mm wide.  The remains were of a minimum of two individuals, the disarticulated remains of an adult and the articulated skeleton of a truncated juvenile aged 7-12 years old (pers. comm. Linda Lynch) interred in a supine standard burial position orientated roughly east-west. The articulated remains comprised left ribs, left forearm (straight), mid- to lower vertebrae, right pelvis (left pelvis had been exposed during discovery of skeleton) lower limbs and partial feet (left and right). Disarticulated remains were found in the fill of the nearby service pipes and disturbed ground; they included fragments of the mandible, loose teeth, cranium, carpels and phalanges. The surrounding grave cut was truncated to the west and east, however its mid-section was formally defined with edging stones, best set to the northern side. The southern side wasn’t as well executed. The grave cut measured 245mm wide by 1.6m long extending under the new paving. The exposed sides were approximately 120mm deep and broke sharply to a relatively flat but stony base.  The grave fill  was a moderately compact, mid-brown silt.

Phase 2, undertaken by Clonmel Enterprises, along Shop Street, was carried out between October and November of 2019. The resurfacing work extended along the north range from between No. 35 Boots Pharmacy past the Abbeygate Street junction to No. 48 William Street, Compu B store and from No. 12. Coco Café to No. 51 William Street, Galway Gifts Shop along the south range.

Phase 3 was carried out by P&D Lydon in March-May 2020 and continued the works from Shop Street, along William Street to the junction of both Williamsgate Street and Eglinton Street including a section of Castle Street. Specifically, the north range extended from No. 46, William Street Garavan’s Public House to Eglington Buildings trading as Brown Thomas and to the south from No. 51, Vision Express to No. 1 William Street, The Galway Camera Shop.  This phase was partially carried out during the initial Covid19 lockdown period between March-April 2020.

Both Shop Street and William Street were resurfaced in 1999; service maps indicate a complex of utilities running the length of the street from northwest to southeast. They include a large centreline storm drain, water culvert, power, multiple Eircom ducts and old service cast mains for both gas and water.

The groundworks for the excavations for Phase 2 were carried out by a 3-tonne mini digger and involved reducing the ground by approximately by 350 to 500mm, exposing services and for the most part a mix of modern infills of sand and gravel. In isolated areas, around bollard locations and manholes, excavations were deeper – up  to 1.1m – and exposed brown silty clay below the overlying aggregates. The only built feature noted was the remains of a stone- and brick-built barrel-vaulted basement that extended under the street from Nos 2 & 3 Shop Street, trading as Lifestyle Sports. This basement was previously recorded in ‘The Galway Corporation Pedestrian Enhancement Scheme, Report on Basement Survey’ carried out by Harwood Associates in 1998 but was not thought to extend under the street. The basement extended 3.4m from the edge of the shop and survived in varying degrees of preservation 200mm below the surface. The stonework was a mix of rubble stone and brick that had previously been damaged by multiple services and a manhole. The infilled featured was investigated and surveyed and a portion of the arch comprising roughly hewn voussoirs photographed. The basement was retained in situ (ITM E529820 N725259).

Along the outside of Lynche’s castle (GA094-100043–), the brick paving abutting the building was removed exposing multiple ducts and cast-iron pipes. All the material to a depth of 450mm was made up of modern infill with no original ground evident.

Other than the basement no features were found, or artefacts retrieved during this phase of works.

Archaeological monitoring for the Phase 3 works in William Street took place between March and May 2020. The groundworks were carried out by a 3-tonne mini digger reducing the ground by approximately 400mm and exposing services prior to infilling them with leamix and concrete. In isolated areas, at bollard locations and manholes, excavations were deeper to a maximum of 1.1m.  Typically, the stratigraphy was a surface layer of brick and paving over modern gravel aggregate fill layers with a frequency of services throughout; below the infill at deeper level was a light brown silty clay. Nothing of archaeological potential was noted during the Phase 3 works.

Phase 4 was carried out between October 2021 and January 2022, with a break throughout December to facilitate the Christmas trade. Groundworks involved mechanically removing the surface cobbles and digging out the road base and subsoil by approximately 350 to 500mm. Stage 1, along the northern range of Mainguard Street, was carried out in early November 2021 with the southern half completed by mid-January 2022.

Much of this work was relatively shallow and impacted on sand, gravel and assorted modern infills over a variety of services. The street had a frequency of utilities, running from northeast to southwest – these included a large storm water drain, a deep and very large water service running through the middle of the street and multiple ducts for Eircom, power cables and old repurposed cast iron gas services along what were previously footpaths.  A stone feature (possibly a foundation wall) was observed in the centre of the road which was retained in situ. No additional finds or features were noted.

The Phase 5 works were located at the junction between Shop Street and High Street in early February 2022. The excavations were relatively shallow and impacted on sand, gravel and assorted modern infills over a variety of services. The street had a frequency of utilities, running from northeast to southwest – these included a large storm water drain, a deep and very large water service running through the middle of the street and multiple ducts for eircom, power cables and old repurposed cast iron gas services along what was previously footpaths. No additional finds or features were noted.

Phase 6 works on High Street and Quay Lane began in October 2023 and continued through to February 2024. As with prior phases the works were carried out intermittently with breaks during busy shopping periods and holidays in order to minimise disruption to traders.

Much of this work was relatively shallow and impacted on preexisting leamix and assorted modern infills over a variety of services. In isolated areas, around bollard locations and manholes excavations were deeper – up to 1.1m – and exposed brown silty clay below the overlying aggregates. The street had a frequency of utilities, running from northeast to southwest – these included a large storm water drain, and multiple ducts for Eircom, power cables and old repurposed cast iron gas services along what were previously footpaths.  A small patch of the so-called Galway Black layer (a peaty, organic deposit) was uncovered at the southern end of Quay Street. This was retained in situ and remains undisturbed. No additional finds or features were noted.

The Phase 6 works at High Street and Quay Lane were carried out between February 2024 and January 2025. Groundworks involved mechanically removing the surface cobbles and digging out the road base and subsoil by approximately 350 to 500mm. At Quay Lane there was a possibility of encountering remains of the town defences. The works at this location therefore were carried out under Ministerial Consent (Reg. No.: E005682).

Works on Quay Lane were shallower extending to a maximum depth of 250mm. The excavations involved removal of tarmac to a very compact layer of pre-existing leamix, which was deemed suitable foundational material for the new paving. No additional finds or features were noted.

Monitoring for Phase 7 of the works at Churchyard Lane commenced on 25 February 2025 beginning from the rear of the Tigh Cóilí pub west towards Sheridan’s Cheesemonger and Wine Bar extending roughly 2m north towards St Nicholas’ Church and grounds. To the rear of Tigh Cóilí and the Bank of Ireland the bulk of the excavations were carried out to a depth of 200mm due to the presence of a cellar and the bank vault which extended into the carriageway for the majority of the trench width. West of the bank, to the rear of the EuroGiant shop, no cellar/basement was observed facilitating deeper excavations which extended to a maximum of 1m in depth. At this location (ITM 529705/725195) an evident east-west aligned grave/burial cut was observed on 26 February 2025. A fragment of skull was evident at the western end of the cut and a single phalanx was observed at the eastern end. The cut measured roughly 1m in length from east to west and was roughly 500mm in observable width. A series of pre-existing service ducts run to the north obscuring the full width of the burial cut. The burial cut was observed at a depth of 700mm below modern ground level.

It is likely that the burial is associated with the burial ground of nearby St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church which dates from 1320AD. The church graveyard likely extended south underneath the existing buildings along the northern side of Mainguard Street. This conclusion is supported by the previous discoveries of human remains during Phase 1 of the works in 2019 on Shop Street and earlier construction works for the Bank of Ireland where extensive human remains were encountered in the 1970s (pers. comm. Jim Higgins, City Heritage Officer) as well as along Eason’s Lane to the east of the graveyard of St Nicholas’ in the 1980s by Markus Casey.

Upon discovery of the burial cut and bone fragments the relevant authorities and the Gardaí were informed. All construction works were ceased to allow the author to ascertain the nature and extent of the cut, and the burial cut was recorded. As a temporary measure the remains were subsequently covered by a layer of terram and sand to ensure preservation and for security reasons while consultations were being carried out with the relevant authorities. This also allowed for the safeguarding and protection of the remains from potential damage through ongoing site-works, potential adverse weather conditions, trespassing and possible vandalism.

Subsequent to consultations with the relevant authorities (and in consultation with Dr. Denise Keating, Osteologist) it was agreed the burial cut and any associated remains be preserved in situ under geotextile with an overlying buffer of 300mm of sand under a 300mm layer of leamix and the new paving/carriageway.

In order to avoid the possibility of disturbing further human remains or burial cuts all addition excavation work along Churchyard Street were minimised as far as practicably possible and all further excavations were limited to a maximum depth of 500mm.

Subsequent excavation revealed a generally consistent stratigraphy comprising existing cobble lock overlying a mixed deposit of builder’s fill, compact gravel material over a mid-brown, sandy deposit with occasional flecks and fragments of stray, unstratified human and animal bone. Towards the west at the western end of the boundary fence of St Nicholas’ Church the stratigraphy notably changed and comprised a compact modern leamix fill over a sandy brown material No further bone fragments were observed suggesting that the burial ground discontinues at this point.

An additional phase of works was carried out to facilitate the installation of automatic barriers at the northern end of Cross Street Upper. Initial trial trenching was carried out on 21 January 2026 with the installation works completed between 14 and 23 April 2026.

During the course of initial testing on 21 January 2026 an isolated patch of cobbling was observed at the base of the trench at a depth of 1.1m. The cobbles were located on the western side of the carriageway roughly 2.7m east of the wall to the current Supermac’s premises. The cobbles were exposed to a length of 1.2m and an observable width of 450mm. They were subsequently covered by a layer of terram and preserved in situ.

The main excavation works for the automated bollards involved excavating to a depth of roughly 2m to facilitate the subsurface elements of the bollards. The stratigraphy comprised modern infill and rubble to the full depth of the trench. Nothing further of archaeological significance was noted.

The presence of cobble at a depth of 1.1m below modern ground level suggests that Cross Street Upper originally sloped sharply downwards from Kirwan’s Lane north to Bridge Street.