2007:644 - Kiltiernan East, Galway

Phase 1 archaeological investigations and townland boundary surveys commissioned by Galway County Council and the National Roads Authority were undertaken along the 27.2km N18 Oranmore to Gort (Glenbrack to Rathmorrissey) national road scheme. Testing was carried out between September and December 2007. This area was identified in the environmental impact statement as one that would require hand-testing to ascertain the significance and extent of archaeological features, deposits or finds associated with the adjacent early medieval enclosure (GA103–140).
At Kiltiernan East, four test-trenches, totalling 11.75m2, were inserted at the marked location and in the environs of the possible well. The feature consisted of a subcircular bowl in the ground, c. 10m in diameter, with a drystone wall built to five random courses in height and two courses wide with a small platform in the northern half. Investigations revealed the existence of a possible stone-filled trough and a possible entranceway leading into the trough. The landowner reported that he dug the 10m-wide hollow in search of a well to water cattle and built the stone wall, apparently without reason. However, he was aware of the previous existence of an old well at or near that site and the possible well identified here is located 10m to the south of an early medieval enclosure and may be contemporary with it. The Phase 1 investigations have fully recorded the present manifestation of the well. Any possible early features associated with the nearby early medieval site have been removed by later disturbance.