County: Galway Site name: RAHALLY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A024/3.9
Author: Dermot Moore, CRDS Ltd.
Site type: Field boundary
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 565972m, N 725894m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.282279, -8.510267
Investigations were carried out at Rahally on the route of the proposed N6 Galway–Ballinasloe road scheme, Contract 3, under ministerial directions. Work was commissioned by the Galway County Council National Roads Design Office and sponsored by the National Roads Authority. Approximately 552m2 were tested with the aid of a mechanical excavator and, where potential archaeological features were uncovered, they were cleaned back manually and recorded.
The site is situated on the summit of a gentle hill with a west-north-west aspect, 1.75km south-east of the Raford River. The land in the immediate vicinity is well-drained pasture. Some marshland is visible from the hill. Rahally commands a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside and beyond into the surrounding counties.
Two ditches of a possible early medieval and one of a possible post-medieval date were identified and ran in a north-west/south-east direction; the features identified appear to represent agricultural boundaries or features and may possibly be associated with the ringfort SMR 86:211 to the west.
The first ditch measured c. 20m in length and had an average width of 2m. A box-section excavated through the ditch reached a depth of 0.9m. The cut had a sharp break of slope at the top and base with sloping sides and a concave base.
The second ditch feature identified appears to have been a continuation of the ditch cut described above but is slightly different in character. This measured c. 2m in length and had an average width of 2m. A box-section excavated through the ditch had a depth of 0.6m. It had a sharp break of slope at the top and bottom, sloping sides and a relatively flat base and contained four fills.
A number of features associated with ridge and furrow cultivation were identified throughout the area. Some of these appear to represent the original boundaries between different areas.
One such boundary consisting of a linear ditch cut was identified lying between two sets of furrows running at different angles; it was tested to define its precise nature. The cut of the ditch, which had a north-east/south-west orientation, had a gradual break of slope at its top and base with concave sides and a concave base. It had a maximum width of 1.8m and a maximum depth of 0.25m and contained two fills.
Four possibly modern furrows were also identified. The fill of one furrow was similar to the overlying topsoil and produced some modern pottery and a clay-pipe stem.
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