2005:614 - KILLAGHMORE, Galway

In May 2005 monitoring associated with the East Galway Landfill development identified a souterrain located on a prominent rise in the townland of Killaghmore, New Inn, Co. Galway. This previously unrecorded site was first identified when one of the capstones of the souterrain was removed in the course of mechanical excavation works at the site. Work in this area was stopped and a licence to excavate the site sought. Excavation was undertaken over a period of four weeks commencing on 31 May 2005. The excavations revealed a single chamber souterrain of drystone construction that had been backfilled with clay and rubble.

Excavation involved the manual removal of the mid-brown sandy clay that covered the site. Removal exposed three lintels at the west end of the souterrain. The monument had been backfilled with a loose dark-brown silty clay with moderate stone inclusions and occasional animal bone fragments. The excavation of the fill from the east half of the souterrain revealed that it was lined with stones on three sides but the east end appeared to be rounded in shape and defined by the packing of the cut and the natural gravel layer. The fill was excavated for a depth of 1–1.1m and had both large and small stone inclusions. A small quantity of animal bone and a metal fragment were also recovered from the fill. The excavations of the fill revealed a single chamber of drystone construction. The chamber as revealed measured 6.54m in length, 1.42m in maximum width and had a maximum height of 1.6–1.7m at the west end.

The souterrain was small and simple in design, comprising one chamber running east–west. This design contrasts greatly with the majority of drystone-constructed souterrains, where there is at least an entrance passage and a chamber. Features of many souterrains include elaborate entrance passages, creeps, trapdoors, vents, recesses, drains, etc., none of which were found at Killaghmore. While the souterrain had been backfilled and only three lintels were intact, there was no apparent entrance feature. This suggests that entrance to the chamber was gained via a hatch entrance. This means that one of the roof lintels would have been removable. A similar entranceway is suggested at Killeenhugh in Co. Galway (McCaffery 1952, 247) and Caherquin, Co. Kerry (Rynne 1966).

The townlands of Killaghmore and Killagh Beg have numerous souterrains, the vast majority of which are ‘associated’ with ringforts. The area surrounding the souterrain was cleaned back and the removal of the hillock was monitored. No traces of an enclosing ditch or any form of habitation evidence was revealed. A ringfort (SMR 86:165) is located 150–200m north-west of the souterrain, but there is no direct relationship between these monuments. This souterrain appears to be associated with unenclosed settlement similar to excavated examples such as Harryville, Co. Antrim (Jope 1950), Randalstown, Co. Meath (Cambell 1987, 31), and Farrandreg, Co. Louth (Murphy 1998, 279).

The suggested method of construction at Killaghmore would be similar to other sites. This would involve the excavation of a large trench into which stone was lowered and the walls built. It is possible that the interior would then be filled with earth to allow for the walls to be corbelled outwards. The lintels or capstones were put into position, the earth removed and the trench backfilled. The stone from the souterrain was gathered or quarried locally, with evidence for a quarry at the base of the hillock.

References
Cambell, K. 1987 Souterrain (at Randalstown, Co. Meath). In C. Cotter (ed.), Excavations 1986, Dublin.
Jope, E.M. 1950 A souterrain at Harryville, Ballymena, Co. Antrim. UJA (third series) 13, 53.
McCaffery, P. 1952 A contribution to the archaeology of the barony of Dunkellin Co. Galway. Unpublished MA thesis, UCG.
Murphy, D. 1998 Archaeological excavation of a souterrain at Farrandreg, Dundalk, Co. Louth. CLAJ 24 (2), 261–80.
Rynne, E. 1966 Souterrain at Caherquin, Co. Kerry. Topographical files, NMI.

Ballydavid South, Athenry, Co. Galway