2000:0365 - RAHEEN, Athenry, Galway

The proposed development is located in the town of Athenry, adjacent to the town wall. An assessment of the proposed development, undertaken in March 2000, identified a number of possible archaeological features in the area that would be directly affected by the development. These consisted of Feature A, a north-west/south-east-running bank; Feature B, a D-shaped enclosure; and Feature C, a ditch running north–south.

Excavation of Feature A revealed a bank, with a ditch on either side, which appeared to have been levelled in antiquity. One fragment of Saintonge pottery was found in the trench, indicating a medieval date for this feature. It is likely that this feature was a field boundary. The furrows revealed in the course of the trial-trenching run in the same direction as the bank.

Two trenches excavated in the area of the D-shaped enclosure revealed a much-denuded bank, again indicating that the site had been levelled in antiquity. No features or deposits were found within the interior. Finds included fragments of medieval pottery, animal bone and one fragment of Saintogne pottery, indicating a medieval date.

Feature C in the west of the area of the proposed development consisted of a ditch, which appeared to have been filled with stone. Finds from this layer consisted primarily of iron fragments and iron nails.

Test excavations in the centre of the area revealed three small deposits with charcoal. However, they formed no cut, and no finds were found associated with them. They may represent archaeological activity in the central area.

The pre-development testing in the area of the proposed development revealed a certain amount of activity dating to the medieval period.

Ballydavid South, Athenry, Co. Galway