2007:638 - Kilcolgan, Galway

An impact assessment of a proposed residential development site at Kilcolgan, Co. Galway, was undertaken. The proposed development consists of the construction of 23 detached houses and associated site-development works, including the provision of roads, footpaths, water services, open space and a water treatment system. The site is located 280m west of Kilcolgan village and is 5.83ha in area. The proposed development lies partially within the zone of archaeological potential surrounding GA103–128, a settlement, castle and ecclesiastical remains. The castle and associated ecclesiastical remains are 200–300m to the west of the proposed site. A number of other monuments are located within 1km of the proposed development area, including GA103–127, an altar, GA103–178, a church and graveyard, and GA103–179, a watermill.
A geophysical survey undertaken by Earthsound Archaeological Geophysics identified fourteen geophysical anomalies, indicative of a possible enclosure, cairn, ditches, structures and burnt areas.
A large tracked excavator fitted with a 2m-wide toothless bucket was employed to open eleven trenches. The location of the eleven trenches was established to investigate areas within the zone of archaeological potential surrounding Kilcolgan Castle and the geophysical anomalies identified as possible archaeological features. Trenches 1 and 2 were both excavated in a north-west/south-east direction within the western field of the development. Trench 1 (185m in length) and Trench 2 (140m in length) were excavated to investigate geophysical anomalies that proved to be of a geological nature and of no archaeological significance. Trench 3 was excavated in a north-east/south-west direction for 35m and again proved that the geophysical anomalies being investigated were geological rather than archaeological. Trenches 4–11 were excavated in a north-east/south-west direction across the eastern field of the land holdings. Both Trench 4 (40m in length) and Trench 5 (85m in length) were located at the northern part of the development site and had no features of archaeological significance. Trenches 6 (95m in length) and 7 (110m in length) were positioned to investigate four possible areas of burning identified in the geophysical survey. The burnt spreads identified proved to be of no archaeological significance. Trenches 8 and 9 were located across another geophysical anomaly. As suggested by the geophysics, it was associated with the build-up of material from soil running down a slope. Trench 10 was located across anomalies both related to a dump of stones. Trench 10 (90m in length) was also positioned to investigate geophysical anomalies identified as possible ditches. No ditches were evident in the trench upon excavation. Trench 11 (90m in length) was positioned to investigate a geophysical anomaly identified as a possible pit surrounded by a possible ditch. There was no evidence of either of these features, although there was a large modern dump of stones, which appeared to be related to the clearance of the central field wall.
All the geophysical anomalies were identified as having no archaeological significance and there was nothing of any other archaeological relevance evident within the trenches.