County: Galway Site name: COOLAGH/CASTLEGAR/BALLYBRIT/PARKMORE/CAPPANNABORNIA/GLENANAIL/BALLYBAAN BEG
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 01E0992
Author: Richard Crumlish, Archaeological Services Unit Ltd.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 529516m, N 724990m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.270559, -9.056672
Monitoring of the laying of a pipeline, the Galway City Water Interlink to the existing Tuam Regional Water Supply Scheme, was carried out between 25 September and 6 November 2001. The project involved the installation of a main pipeline from a reservoir at the western end of the pipeline to the N17, where it connected into the existing Scheme, a distance of 4.1km. The main pipeline measured 500mm in diameter. A scour pipeline was also installed, 300mm in diameter and 1.03km long.
The pipeline was sited in grassland for 360m at its western end. It was then sited within the Headford road for 260m, within a tarred boreen for 50m, then through fields for 650m, along a boreen for 490m and back onto third-class roads for 310m to the N17, in which it was sited for 1.27km to the north-east and 220m to the south-west. The scour pipeline was placed along the same route, except for a 150m section at its eastern end which went through a green field. The installation of the pipeline was facilitated by surface excavation, preceded by topsoil-stripping of a way-leave along the greenfield sections. A 490m section of pipeline at the south-eastern end of the route had been completed before the archaeologist’s arrival on the project.
The way-leave stripped in the greenfield areas, 1.16km long (1.01km main pipeline, 150m scour), was 5–22m wide. The stratigraphy consisted of topsoil on the surface, above grey/brown subsoil, orange/brown natural subsoil, grey boulder clay and bedrock. Two features, a field drain 0.7m wide and evidence of field clearance, were uncovered. Modern artefacts were recovered from the topsoil.
The trench excavated in the roads and boreens was 1.2–2.5m wide and 1.5–2.6m deep. The stratigraphy revealed below the tarred road was roadfill, backfill, topsoil, orange/brown natural subsoil, grey boulder clay and bedrock in places. Modern services were visible here and there throughout the trench, including a sewerage pipeline installed within the last two years.
Purcell House, Claregalway Road, Oranmore, Co. Galway
