County: Galway Site name: TUAM: Shop Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 03E0410 ext.
Author: Richard Crumlish
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 543521m, N 752069m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.515565, -8.851572
Pre-development testing was carried out on 22 July 2004 at a site in advance of its development at Shop Street, Tuam, Co. Galway. The proposed development was located within the zone of archaeological potential for Tuam town (SMR 29:199). Previous testing at the site in April 2003 (Excavations 2003, No. 761, 03E0410) revealed evidence of modern (20th century) activity only.
Prior to the testing, two of the three buildings on the site were demolished, with the third being partially demolished to make it accessible for testing. The demolition included the removal of the concrete floors within the buildings, which reduced ground level by up to 0.9m along the east site boundary and up to 1.1m along the south site boundary.
The testing comprised the excavation (by machine) of two trenches, which measured 12.4m and 19.4m long respectively, 1.4–1.8m wide and 0.8–1.8m deep. Below the rubble fill in both trenches was topsoil. Below the topsoil was orange/brown friable silt loam, loose grey gravel and yellow/grey plastic boulder clay. A number of rubble wall foundations (of the buildings just demolished) and a stone step were visible, below which was boulder clay. The rubble fill and topsoil contained modern artefacts. The orange/brown friable silt loam, loose grey gravel and boulder clay were sterile.
The testing revealed evidence of modern (late 20th century) activity only, probably associated with the extant buildings on the site. The site consisted of the remains of the back gardens of buildings which fronted on to Shop Street that were later developed.
61 An Cladrach, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
