2006:758 - Barraderry, Galway

An assessment on the site of a proposed treatment plant for Carraroe was undertaken in October 2005. In the course of the assessment a number of local people indicated a tradition of burial in the area. Two locations were specified and testing at these areas was undertaken over a period of two weeks in January 2006 (see No. 757 above). Area 2, which is located in the south-east sector of the site, revealed a stone-covered pit with a roughly east–west orientation and was found to contain a number of finds, including six coins, one of which was found to date to 1824. Local tradition suggested that a sailor had been buried there in the mid-19th century; however, no human remains were uncovered during the testing. Flooding on the site prevented manual excavations below a depth of 0.6–0.7m.
An extension to the licence was requested to allow for full excavation of this feature and to monitor the removal of topsoil from the site. The area was drained to enable full excavation. The excavation involved the extension of the test-trench in Area 2 of the site, which had initially been excavated in January 2006. The trench was extended to the south so that its total measurement was 2.5m in length by 1.8m in width. The area was manually excavated to a maximum depth of 1.25m, where rock was encountered. The excavation involved the removal of peat with no traces of any burial in the lower levels. The cut as revealed in the east-facing section face was roughly U-shaped in section and measured 0.67m in width and c. 0.5m in depth. The fill, which comprised numerous irregular-shaped stones of various sizes, also extended above the cut to form a low mound of stones.
Monitoring of topsoil-stripping at the site revealed a general stratigraphy of bedrock underlying a peaty topsoil. Only in the south of the site was peat of any depth uncovered and it was recommended that, if planning permission to proceed with the development is granted, then all ground disturbance in this area should be monitored.