2005:609 - GORT: Kinincha Road, Galway

Pre-development testing was carried out, with the assistance of Camilla Lofqvist, Osteologist (Moore Group), between 14 September and 11 October 2005 at a site in advance of development at Kinincha Road, Gort, Co. Galway. Testing was necessary because the proposed development, which consisted of the construction of two light industrial buildings with associated car parking, was located within the constraint area for a church. The site had been extensively filled with rubble in recent years.

Prior to the commencement of testing, unauthorised excavation works at the site had unearthed a quantity of human bone. An area measuring 16.5–23m by 14–17m had been excavated at the north-west end of the south-west side of the site to a depth of up to 1m. Most of this area had been reduced to grey natural subsoil and bedrock, but a small area (6.5m by 4.5m) at the south-east side of the area excavated had revealed the human bone. This area (Area F) had been extensively disturbed by the machine and therefore the bone, which consisted of teeth, skull, rib and leg bone, was disarticulated and fragmented. The only artefact visible within the area was a red-brick fragment. Immediately to the south-east was a spoil heap, which measured over 2m high and 6.5m in diameter, in which bone was also visible. Natural subsoil appeared to enclose the area containing the bone on the remaining three sides. It appeared that the area containing the bone could only extend to the south-east; i.e. under the spoil heap.

The spoil heap was removed to facilitate retrieval of material within it, the area below it was investigated (by hand) and testing of the remainder of the proposed development site took place.

Four trenches (A–D) were excavated to test the remainder of the site and one cutting (E) was excavated to examine the area below the spoil heap. The trenches measured 25m, 60m, 100m and 100m long, 0.9–1.9m wide and 0.1–2.2m deep. Cutting E measured 6m by 6m and 0.3–0.7m deep. A number of sections of trenches were left unexcavated due to flooding and to an ESB cable which crossed the site.

Below modern rubble fill and topsoil in three (A, C and D) of the trenches were topsoil, peat, blue/grey loose loamy sand and gravel and blue/grey/orange/brown plastic clay. The topsoil contained modern artefacts.

Below the modern rubble fill on the surface of Trench B was compact blue/grey plastic clay, mid-brown friable silt loam and two burials (Sk1 and Sk2). The friable silt loam contained a quantity of animal bone. Sk1 extended out from the west-south-west side of the trench and consisted of the lower legs and feet of a supine extended burial that seemed to be orientated east–west. It was very disturbed and the bones were brittle. Sk2 extended out from the east-north-east side of the trench and was also disturbed. Only fragments of a cranium were visible.

Below the modern rubble fill in Cutting E was orange/brown firm clay loam, grey friable sandy loam and seven burials (Sks 3–9). As in Trench B, the remains were very disturbed and the bone of a brittle nature. Sk3 appeared to be a supine, extended burial orientated east–west. Only parts of the skull and neck were exposed, due to the brittle nature of the bone. Sk4 was the remains of a juvenile, orientated east-north-east/west-south-west. The burial was supine and extended. The disturbed remains consisted of parts of the skull and vertebrae. Sk5 was supine and extended in an east-north-east/west-south-west direction. The leg and feet bones and possibly vertebrae were visible. Sk6 was orientated east-north-east/west-south-west and was possibly supine. Skull and vertebrae fragments were visible. Sk7 was supine and was orientated east–west. Fragments of a crushed skull, teeth and lower jaw were visible. Sk8 was supine, orientated east-north-east/west-south-west, with only a lower tibia and feet bones exposed. It seemed that Sk8 had cut through Sk9, which was orientated east–west and was very disturbed. The pelvis, teeth and humerus were visible.

The spoil heap contained human and animal bone fragments and modern artefacts. Three skeletons (Sks 10–12), a small area of skull fragments and further disarticulated bone possibly indicating further burials were identified in Area F, the original area excavated. The disturbance within the area was such that the precise identification of the grave-cuts and analysis of the skeletons proved difficult.

Of the total 1052 of bone fragments that were analysed, 309 (29%) were determined to be human, while 95 (9%) were identified as animal bones representing six species: cattle, sheep/goat, red deer, pig, horse or dog.

It was determined that the stray bone contained the remains of at least five individuals. Their ages seemed to range from infant to old adults. From the gender estimation it could only be suggested that the mature individuals were possibly males. The assemblage suggested that this was a communal burial ground, as it contained the bone of individuals of different ages. Better-preserved bone would probably support this and would probably also have revealed the presence of females. There was nothing on the bones which could indicate the cause of death of any of these individuals.

The butchering marks on the bones from cattle, sheep/goat and pig retrieved could indicate that they were butchering waste. No finer cuts were detected, but this could be due to the bad condition of the bone. The presence of head and several antler fragments of deer, many with cut marks, would indicate that at least one deer skull was brought to the site. It is very likely that the purpose behind this was to use the antler in some type of manufacturing process.

The stratigraphy uncovered in Trenches A, C, D and most of Trench B was modern fills over peat, topsoil and natural subsoils. The evidence revealed in the spoil heap, Cutting E, the north-north-west end of Trench B and Area F appeared to point to a portion of this site having been a burial ground. Further human bone was visible on the surface to the south-west of Trench B and to the south-east of Cutting E, along the south-west site boundary. Nothing was found to date the burials. The disturbance had left material of late 20th-century date sitting directly on top of the human remains. This disturbance may well have taken place during the recent construction of an adjacent housing development.

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