1999:434 - CASTLETOWN, Galmoy, Kilkenny

A possible Cromwellian or Jacobean earthwork fort was discovered during an envrionmental impact study for the Arcon Lead-Zinc Mine at Galmoy. The fort was archaeologically tested but revealed no evidence of date (Gowen 1990). Subsequent monitoring of construction (Pollock 1996) revealed ten fulachta fiadh, as well as late medieval/early post-medieval activity south-west of the fort. Archaeological excavation of this site took place in May and June 1999, to facilitate the proposed expansion of the existing tailings pond facility.

Excavation confirmed the site to be an earthen outwork fortification or 'redoubt', probably 17th-century in date, with a pentagonal plan, two demi-bastions on one side and a hornwork protecting the entranceway.

Two opposing quadrants of the site (Areas 1 and 2) were initially stripped of topsoil. Excavation of Area 1 had concluded when all work was halted in favour of preservation, and the site was fenced off from any development. Three phases of this site were identified.

Phase 1 represented the pre-construction levels of the site. Natural was a fine, grey, glacial sand overlain by yellow/orange, sandy boulder clay and cut by several isolated features that pre-dated the fortification. These included several furrows, a buried sod line and two undated post-holes.

Phase 2 represented the construction and use of the earthwork. The interior was lowered by deliberate removal of the old sod and subsoil. There was no evidence of structures or occupation layers within the interior, and the limited artefactual evidence suggested that the site was not in use for a prolonged period. The main defensive bank partially survived as an intermittent concave mound, 0.6m in maximum height. The bank was made of successive deposits of cobbles, gravel and redeposited, natural sand. These were piled up against a supporting palisade fence, evidenced by a number of post-holes and stake-holes including the main corner posts, braces and supports for a retaining timber palisade across the inner ditch face.

The enclosing ditch turned through 60o to give a diamond-shaped/pentagonal plan. Two salient-angled demi-bastions were noted at the north and west corners of the circuit. Five deep trenches were excavated through this V-shaped ditch. Each demi-bastion face was 7.5m long and protruded into the ditch. The base of the recess between the demi-bastions was flat, with a low bank within the base of the ditch, continuing the line of the ditch. The outer face of the north-west ditch was steep, 5m wide and 2m deep, and contained two basal fills of orange, sandy clay silt and stony, silty clay with bone. The north-eastern ditch was parallel-sided and V-shaped in profile and was 5.5m wide and 2.6m deep. Here, it cut a buried sod line and was itself truncated by modern activity. The basal fills for this portion of the ditch were iron-panned, stony, coarse sand with large cobbles.

A metalled surface extended through a break in the ditch, which was protected by a small, east-west, linear gully, 15m long, 1.3m wide and 0.6m deep, terminating at a large post-hole. This represented one side of an outer defensive hornwork and gatepost.

Evidence of a low, truncated outer 'counterscarp' bank survived along the north-west face of the fort, made up of various dumps of earth and possibly revetted with stone. It was 2.6m wide and 0.3m deep. Behind the counterscarp bank was evidence for an outer palisade constructed to form a 'covered way'. Elsewhere evidence was truncated by modern disturbance.

Phase 3 represented the destruction of the site. The fort was burned and partially levelled by pushing the inner and outer banks into the partially silted-up ditch, probably a deliberate act by the builders. It is also possible that the fort was destroyed in battle; however, no cannon or musket balls were found in this excavation.

The quality of the bastions and the crude hornwork both suggest that the site was hastily thrown up and not meant to be permanent. A larger bastioned fortification at Longford Pass, Co. Tipperary, is 13.5km south of the site and was built before 1654. This is referred to as 'Fort Ireton', after Henry Ireton, who was involved in Cromwell's campaign of 1650 and 1651 (Kerrigan 1995, 133).

Castletown townland and Coady's Castle (SMR 3:4/1–5) were reportedly forfeited by E. Shee under Cromwell (Carrigan 1905, 281). Local legend tells of a grant by Cromwell to Pierce MacOdo (Coady) of all the land he could see (including Castletown) (Dowling 1978, 24). The earthwork therefore probably formed part of the refortification of Coady's Castle after 1655, which included the addition of a spear-shaped defensive bastion.

Excavation produced a small assemblage of animal bone and some military and domestic artefacts, tentatively dated to the 17th or 18th centuries. In addition, a number of sherds of prehistoric coarseware and a possible rubbing stone for a saddle quern were also recovered from the upper ditch fills, suggesting prehistoric occupation close by.

References
Carrigan, W.C.C. 1905 The history and antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory.
Dowling, A. 1978 An outline of Galmoy (Gabbal Maoth) Parish situated in the Kingdom of Ossory.
Gowen, M. 1990 Trial investigation of a possible archaeological site at the Galmoy Prospect, Co. Kilkenny. Unpublished report.
Kerrigan, P.M. 1995 Castles and fortifications in Ireland 1485–1945.
Pollock, D. 1996 Archaeological monitoring of topsoil removal at Galmoy, Co. Kilkenny. Unpublished report.

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