1996:189 - THE CURRAGH GALLOP, Maddenstown, Kildare

Archaeological monitoring and limited excavation were carried out at Maddenstown, on The Curragh, during the construction of a 7-furlong all-weather gallop. The site lies directly south of the Curragh Camp and is owned by the Dept. of Defence. The work was undertaken between 13 and 28 August 1996.

The gallop is 4.5m wide and at most 0.6m deep, with a west/east-running drain (0.3m by 0.3m) cut at its base on the north side. In an effort to keep the gallop level, certain portions along its route were left unexcavated or partially excavated owing to topographic undulation; here earthen banks were built up along the edges to continue the route.

Archaeological monitoring of topsoil removal along the gallop route revealed areas of cremated bone and spreads of charcoal-rich soil. In all, 38 features were recorded, of which 28 constitute pit or cut features, four were spreads of charcoal-rich soil and six were spreads of cremated bone. The exposed stratigraphy was largely dependent on the base level excavated for the gallop in relation to topographic undulation. In general the soil profile was as follows: 0–0.1m, dark brown topsoil; 0.1–0.4m, grey-brown sandy podzolics; 0.4m+, orange-brown clay. Several spreads of cremated bone were uncovered from the 0.1—0.4m horizon; the remainder were located cutting into or lying on the basal orange-brown clay. Most cut features were shallow, averaging 50–100mm in depth.

Features 1–36 were uncovered over an area 85m long, beginning 245.7m from the east end of the gallop, and the remainder were located 124m west of this concentration. At least 21 cut features contained burnt or cremated bone of varying quantities (plus an additional three scatters of bone). Most of these features were elongated, corresponding with cultivation furrows orientated south-south-east/north-northwest across the site, though several were oval or circular in nature. Pit dimensions also varied considerably (e.g. F13, 1.37m by 0.43m by 0.13m deep; F33, 0.73m by 0.35m by 0.08m deep.) Most of the cremation deposits had been truncated by the post-medieval cultivation, making it difficult to assess whether the volume of remains represented ‘token burial’; the upper fills of several pits were contaminated by post-medieval debris, including clay pipe stems and scatters of cremated bone (e.g. F30–F32 represent relocation of burial remains within ploughsoil). Pit features F13 and F20, notable for a red staining around the edges and base, may represent interment directly from the pyre.

No finds of antiquity were recovered from monitoring or excavation on site, though soil samples from the cut features were taken for examination and possible radiocarbon dating. Analysis of the burnt bone has yet to be initiated.

The recovery of so many features concentrated in one area of the gallop suggests that the site represents at least part of an unenclosed flat cemetery of either Middle/Late Bronze Age or Iron Age date. Most of the monuments on the Curragh are burial in nature, and this factor may have precluded settlement or agricultural activity in the environs, not just throughout prehistory but also into medieval times, when the area was protected’ and conserved by laws preventing encroachments on the open greens (faitche) where sports were held.

Recommendations have been made to require archaeological monitoring of all future constructions at the Curragh.

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