1997:192 - ATHENRY: Barrack Lane, Galway

Archaeological test excavation was carried out in advance of a proposed residential development at Barrack Lane, Athenry, Co. Galway, in May 1997. The site, measuring approximately 35m2, is situated at the east end of Barrack Lane and lies directly across the road from the ruins of the medieval Dominican friary. Though an Anglo-Norman foundation, the friary owed much to native Irish patronage, with the O'Connors, O'Heynes and O'Kellys all contributing to its early development. The monastery was extensively damaged by fire in 1423, necessitating large-scale rebuilding. In 1574 it was dissolved and granted to the town, and in 1627 the friary was granted to Galway merchants, who allowed the friars to return and restored all the buildings. The Cromwellians expelled the friars in 1652 and the friary was a ruin by the end of the century. The conventual buildings were demolished about 1750 to make way for a military barracks.

A mass concrete house and stone shed were demolished in advance of the excavation, and four medieval dressed stones and architectural fragments were recovered from the stone dump. The stones were probably taken from the nearby friary church and reused as cornerstones in the construction of the shed. Following demolition, four test-trenches were excavated at the site. The stratigraphy was consistent across the excavated area. The topsoil consisted of a dark brown silty clay with inclusions of roots, pebbles, cobbles and flecks of charcoal. It was 0.25m deep and overlay a mid-brown silty clay with inclusions of roots, pebbles, animal bone, brick, mortar and flecks of charcoal. These silty clays produced several modern pottery sherds and glass fragments. A naturally occurring light grey medium sand and gravel was encountered at 0.7m below the old ground level. A fill of stones and redeposited soil was uncovered at the eastern end of the trenches. This fill appears to be associated with the banking of the small stream (River Clareen) which forms the eastern site boundary. No archaeological deposits or features were encountered.

No. 1 The Mews, Mill Street, Galway