2005:602 - GALWAY: 13–17 Mainguard Street, Galway

Monitoring of groundworks at Nos 13–17 Mainguard Street, Galway, began 13 September 2005 and is continuing on an intermittent basis. The buildings here are on the list of protected structures for Galway city and are within the medieval walled town. The development consists of the demolition of a modern yard wall, a WC and kitchen to the rear and the construction of retail units, a store and offices. The groundworks consist of the underpinning of walls and excavation for foundations, column bases, new floors and services.

Below the concrete floors in Nos 16 and 17 was rubble fill above loose grey/brown sand and gravel. The rubble fill contained a clay-pipe stem, plastic, modern pottery sherds, red-brick fragments, animal-bone fragments and three fragments of cut and dressed limestone blocks. The excavation in the yard to the rear of Nos 15 and 16, in an area which measured 4m by 1.7m by 0.3–0.6m deep, also revealed rubble fill above loose grey/brown sand and gravel. The rubble fill contained modern pottery sherds, plastic, wire, red-brick fragments, slates, animal-bone fragments, oyster and mussel shells.

Two features of archaeological significance uncovered during the groundworks were a large rubble wall foundation located along the front (south) of Nos 16 and 17 and a stone-lined pit located in the yard to the rear of No. 15. These features date to the post-medieval or medieval period and have been retained within the new development.

4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo