County: Galway Site name: Kiltiernan East
Sites and Monuments Record No.: GA103–141 Licence number: E003696
Author: John Lehane, for Eachtra Archaeological Projects, Unit 10, Kilkerrin Park, Liosbain Industrial Estate, Galway.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 543967m, N 714615m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.179052, -8.838221
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. The purpose of the investigation was to identify any possible features associated with the ‘Dunbestan enclosure’, adjacent to the proposed new route of the N18, and to ascertain their character and extent.
A total area of 50m by 40m was topsoil-stripped, by a 14-tonne 360° tracked machine using a 1.85m-wide toothless bucket, adjacent to a small subcircular mound that had been partly destroyed by machine. This ‘mound’ represented the remains of the early medieval enclosure. The removal of the topsoil revealed no archaeologically significant material. A number of possible features, including patches of burnt clay and topsoil-filled depressions, were investigated by means of half-section. Two features with burnt clay in the fills were interpreted as having resulted from scrub or tree burning, as the cuts were very irregular in morphology. None of these features were believed to be of an archaeological nature, and this site was therefore considered fully resolved.
