2006:760 - BRUSK, Galway

Excavation was carried out in advance of construction on the N6 Galway to Ballinasloe road scheme; the site was located 4.5km from the town of Athenry, Co. Galway. Visible earthworks and archaeological geophysics suggested the presence of three brick kilns, confirmed by testing by Tom Janes in 2005 (Excavations 2005, No. 564). Excavation identified the kilns as square structures comprising rows of bricks and surrounded by burnt soil and redeposited natural material. The kilns were single-fired ‘clamper’ kilns; the bricks remaining were those not considered well enough fired to retrieve.

Kiln 3 differed slightly in construction and was concluded to have been the first kiln on the site from which lessons were learnt about how best to construct the subsequent kilns. Kiln 2 appeared to have had a better firing than Kiln 1, due to the limited remaining bricks. The kilns were on average 11m in length and 6m in width, with a 0.5m gap between the brick rows. A layer of sand was laid below the brick stacks and each course of bricks in the stacks was at slightly different angles to the course below. Yellow bricks may have been fired in the centre of the kiln, with red bricks to the outside. This appeared to have been due to the yellow bricks needing a better firing. Soil was mounded around the bricks during firing and, when taken down, broken bricks became incorporated in the redeposited natural material. Evidence of the raking out of ash before dismantling the brick stacks was also discovered. Stoke holes at the ends of the brick stacks were observed as burnt material extended beyond the brick stacks, although this may be related to the raking out of the kilns. The site was close to both water and clay, essential raw materials for brick manufacture.

The above work was made possible as a result of funding and cooperation from Galway County Council and the National Roads Authority.

Unit 1, Wallingstown Business Park, Little Island, Cork