1998:245 - GALWAY: 65 Dominick Street Lower, Galway

Monitoring of groundwork took place at the site of a proposed development at 65 Dominick Street Lower, Galway. The site consists of a roughly rectangular area, 11.2m north-south by 14.5m. The proposed development involves the construction of a public bar and guesthouse, including the installation of a basement. The site had been the subject of a full archaeological excavation by Anne Connolly (No. 244, Excavations 1998). The excavation revealed a complex of wall foundations showing several phases of activity. The earliest structural features, which may be part of a 17th-century fortification, were deemed archaeologically significant. The basement design as presented in the original planning application would have destroyed these structural remains. Dúchas recommended that the fortifications be preserved in situ, and a conservation strategy was agreed upon to do this. This involved covering the fortifications with a protective sheet of terram membrane and then filling the cavity between the wall and the shuttering with a polystyrene material.

Monitoring of the work began on 12 August 1998. A mechanical digger was used to remove the late walls and the surrounding fill. The archaeological brief, although allowing for full provision to record exposed archaeological material, could not be safely carried out owing to difficulties encountered during excavation. Flooding on site, as well as the depths being excavated, restricted access to the fortifications. Recording of the fully exposed wall, C14, and the surrounding material layers was limited to taking general dimensions and photographs.

Mechanical excavation began to the east of the broad wall, C14. Contexts 7, 8, 9, 12 and 13 were all removed to below the proposed development level. C14's east face was then exposed and cleaned back 3m to the site's northern limit on Mill Street. The wall's composition and construction were as revealed by Ms Connolly, i.e. roughly hewn, random, uncoursed blocks of granite, heavily mortared, with an internal rubble fill. C14 had an even east face and varied between 1.3m and 1.5m deep. The foundation below the wall C14 was very rough. At the northern end was a rubble base of granite boulders, while towards the south the wall seemed to sit directly on a compact, dark, stony layer. Boulder clay appeared c. 3m below ground level.

On the western side of the site, excavation was delayed owing to safety concerns. The western boundary attached to Mill Street Garda Station rested on a loose foundation. Further excavation at its base might have had a destabilising effect. After consultation with Dúchas, it was decided to underpin the foundation with concrete. As excavation recommenced it became apparent that the west face of C14 was uneven and splayed out to 3m on the southern side. The west face of C14 was c. 1.5m deep and also rested on a rubble foundation.

Excavation under C16, the rubble facing, exposed a lower, uncoursed foundation below which was a dark layer with frequent shell inclusions. Digging continued to a depth c. 3.8m below street level.

After the walls were recorded the conservation strategy as agreed upon was fully implemented.The monitoring of groundwork at 65 Dominick Street Lower further exposed the broad wall, C14, and confirmed that it did indeed continue further to the south. Standard recording of the archaeological layers removed was not possible for safety reasons, but no associated cut for the broad wall was evident. The site was excavated to boulder clay to the east and the west of C14.

Purcell House, Oranmore, Co. Galway