County: Galway Site name: BOFIN HARBOUR, Inishbofin
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 05E0349, 05D035, 05R036
Author: Julianna O’Donoghue, Eachtra Archaeological Projects
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 453183m, N 764776m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.612222, -10.218889
Monitoring of dredging operations took place at Bofin Harbour in Inishbofin, Co. Galway, between July and September 2005. A dive survey licence and metal detection licence were also in place and a dive team remained on standby for the duration of the project.
Monitoring of backhoe dredging was achieved through visual inspection of the excavator bucket as it came out of the water and deposited each load in the barge alongside. An assessment of timbers which were previously identified as a possible shipwreck (ADCO 2003) revealed that they were modern and most likely associated with the construction of the pier. They were removed from the seabed under supervision.
The dredged material consisted of 70% small to medium stones, 20% coarse sand and 10% silt. Nothing of an archaeological nature was recovered during monitoring. Several pieces of wood were recovered, but these were clearly modern. The majority of objects recovered from the sediments were boating debris (i.e. tyres and steel cables).
Dredging of Bofin Harbour is expected to recommence in June 2006 and be completed by September 2006.
Reference
ADCO 2003 An underwater assessment of Bofin Harbour, Co. Galway.
Ballycurreen Industrial Estate, Kinsale Road, Cork
