County: Galway Site name: BALLYGASTY AND GRAIGUE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0004
Author: Richard Crumlish, Archaeological Services Unit Ltd.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 561104m, N 716635m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.198738, -8.582132
Monitoring of topsoil-stripping as part of the Loughrea Wastewater Disposal Scheme took place between 5 and 24 January 2000. The development consisted of the construction of a new treatment plant and associated outfall pipe, located close to the main Loughrea–New Inn/Mountbellew Road (L11). The proposed treatment plant was located to the south of the existing one. The 900mm outfall pipe ran north-west for 400m from the existing plant in Graigue townland to a stream in Ballygasty townland.
The areas monitored comprised the proposed treatment plant, the access road into the plant and the line of the outfall pipe. The area of the new treatment plant measured 100–125m x 154–165m. The access road measured 130m. The first 60m of the outfall pipe at the treatment plant was located within the area of the access road.
The stratigraphy encountered in the area of the proposed treatment plant and the access road consisted of topsoil overlying natural subsoil and sterile, grey, sandy loam. The natural subsoil occurred in the south half of the area only, on the higher ground, and was 0.1–0.2m thick. The grey, sandy loam contained frequent stones and lay below the topsoil in the north half of the area and below the natural subsoil in the south half of the area.
The stratigraphy encountered along the outfall pipeline consisted of topsoil, tarmac and rubble fill, located on the surface, above grey, sandy loam.
A number of pottery sherds of modern date were recovered from the topsoil. The removal of topsoil within the development area revealed mostly natural, undisturbed stratigraphy, apart from those locations where the outfall pipe crossed the main road and the area immediately south-east of it. It revealed nothing of archaeological significance.
Purcell House, Oranmore, Co. Galway
