1999:304 - BALRICKARD, Headford, Galway

Monitoring of this development was carried out on 17 July 1999, in response to a condition of planning. The development is adjacent to Headford Castle and consisted of the construction of a dwelling-house and associated services at Balrickard, Headford, Co. Galway. The site was less than one-quarter mile south of the village of Headford and was part of the site of an estate house known as Headford Castle, which was owned by the St George family. Lewis's Topographical dictionary of 1837 describes the house as 'a handsome modern building, erected on the ruins of the ancient castle'. The grounds are described as an 'extensive demesne'. They consisted of 7495 acres, worth £4460 in 1876. The original castle was built in around 1240–5 by Walter de Ridelsford. The castle was in ruins by 1914. Richard Mansergh-St George was killed by rebels in 1797 (which may indicate that the house dated to the 18th century), while his son, Richard-James Mansergh-St George, was high sheriff of County Galway in 1818. According to a local man, the development site contained the coach-house and stables that were attached to the main house.

The ground disturbance involved the clearing of the proposed location of the dwelling, an area along the road to the north-north-east and a driveway from the road to the north-north-east along the west-north-west site boundary and along the north-north-east side of the dwelling. Only topsoil was removed as the ground was deemed good enough to build on.

The stratigraphy encountered consisted of topsoil, 0.1–0.25m thick, below which was natural subsoil and the foundations of outhouses, associated with the demesne house on the site. The only artefacts recovered during monitoring were red and yellow brick, associated with the foundations of the demesne house.

Purcell House, Oranmore, Co. Galway