2026:238 - St Jarlath's College, Tuam, Galway

The author was commissioned to complete a programme of archaeological testing of a proposed development at St Jarlath’s College in Tuam, Co. Galway.

The proposed development comprises the construction of a single-storey building, located in the northern part of the school grounds, including removal of existing trees, connection to existing services and infrastructure and associated site works. The proposed development area (PDA) is located in proximity to GA029-068001– (Ecclesiastical enclosure) and GA029-068002– (Church).  The northern boundary of the PDA may represent the southern extent of GA029- 068001– (Ecclesiastical enclosure). The subject site is also located within the overall Zone of Notification for the Historic Town of Tuam (GA029-199—).

Testing was completed on 24 June 2026. The author excavated 2 test trenches.  A total distance of 70m was excavated. Space was restricted due to the presence of mature trees particularly along the southern boundary. The stratigraphy encountered was consistent throughout the site and comprised a brown clayey silt topsoil with occasional small stone inclusions overlying a mixed deposit of modern rubble and general refuse material with occasional inclusions of animal bone and scraps of metal. The subsoil was a greyish-yellow and brown mottled stony boulder clay.The metal detector survey was undertaken using a Minelab Vanquish 540 Multi-IQ detector device. The spoil was also subject to a visual search along with survey by metal detection. All the hits proved to be of modern provenance and included tin cans, batteries and general modern refuse.

Nothing of archaeological significance was noted during the testing and nothing of significance recovered in the course of metal ddetecting.