County: Galway Site name: LOUGHBOWN II
Sites and Monuments Record No.: GA087–177 Licence number: E002054
Author: Nik Bower, Eachtra Archaeological Projects
Site type: Ringfort - rath
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 581640m, N 729277m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.313448, -8.275506
This was one of several excavations undertaken for Galway County Council and the National Roads Authority which form part of a wider excavation programme undertaken within c. 15 km of the proposed N6 Galway to Ballinasloe dual carriageway scheme (Contract 4). The excavated ringfort is oval in plan and measures 42m in diameter from north-west to south-east. Two adjacent ringforts, in Loughbown (see No. 818, Excavations 2006) and Mackney (see No. 825 , Excavations 2006) townlands, have also been excavated as part of this project. The site encloses the brow of a hill, with a maximum height of 83m OD, and is relatively level to the north and east but slopes downwards dramatically to the south and west.
A semicircular slot-trench/structure is cut into the brow of the hill; it includes a series of post-holes and a central deposit of burnt bone. This feature, possibly representing prehistoric habitation, appears to pre-date the main constructional elements of the enclosure.
The enclosing ditch of the ringfort has a V-shaped profile, which differs slightly in profile depending on limestone boulder impediments to construction and measures 2m wide by 1.5m deep. Approximately 30% of the interior bank survives intact along the southern side of the site, protected by and incorporated into field boundaries. This mainly comprises redeposited sandy clay subsoil, dug out during-ditch construction, with the limestone component absent, mixed with sandy silt. It also has a sorted limestone component that may have made up a stone embankment along the top of the earthen bank. There are some post-holes that may relate to the construction and revetment of the bank. There is a layer of charcoal-rich soil at the base of the bank, perhaps suggesting scrub burnt away prior to bank construction.
The stone backfill of the enclosing ditch appears to be the remains of the stone embankment pushed back into the ditch in two phases. This stone is of two visually distinct types, which appear to have been sorted. Geological information indicates that only one of the stone types is available on site.
The entranceway to the enclosure is to the south-east, c. 6m wide, with either one or two large central post-holes, perhaps relating to a gate. The entrance appears to have been roughly cobbled. A trackway is visible sweeping away from the entrance and heading down into the valley to the south.
An internal post-hole and linear trench feature lay parallel to the ditch on the northern side. The linear feature appears to be the only substantial internal feature relating to the enclosure to have survived damage by quarrying, ploughing and land improvement. Its profile suggests a palisade of posts, possibly revetting the bank and preventing its spread on to the site.
A metalled surface lay across the ditch in the north-west area looking on to the Lismurtagh burial-ground. This may be of late or post-medieval date and may have related to easy access between both monuments, still extant at that time.
The ringfort has been used for quarrying limestone in modern times. Bedrock is very close to the ground surface here and bedding planes are conveniently located for prising up angular limestone blocks.
Ballycurreen Industrial Estate, Kinsale Road, Cork
