2008:515 - Ballyglass West 1, Galway

Phase 2 excavations along the 27.2km of the N18 Oranmore to Gort (Glenbrack to Rathmorrissey) National Road Scheme were commissioned by Galway County Council and the National Roads Authority.
The irregularly shaped burnt mound measured 49m north-east to south-west by 19.2m, and 1.2–1.3m in depth; it consisted of sixteen layers in total. Under the mound nine pits were excavated. One of the nine had eight stake-holes associated with it.
A total of four troughs were excavated. The largest of these measured 2.69m by 1.66m and was rectangular in shape. A partial stone-lined trough was also excavated, which showed evidence for being lined with wood, clay and stone. The trough measured 2.15m by 2.15m. Only one trough had associated stake-holes. In total fifteen stake-holes were present in the upcast, while seven more were located on the opposite verge of the trough. Another fifteen stake-holes were excavated within the interior of the trough and may have held a wooden lining in place.
The area of a well had been heavily disturbed. It was backfilled with large boulders and a surrounding stone wall had also been bulldozed around the west side of the well. On excavation of this area, the stone lining of the well was exposed and consisted of six to ten lines of rough stone coursing, measuring 4.2m north-west to south-east by 3.1m, with an extant height of 1–1.2m. On the east side of the well was an entranceway, defined by three stones forming a subrectangular shape and eight stone steps led down into the well. The stone lining was set into a large cut which truncated an earlier well feature. The cut for the later well had been dug down to the level of the natural limestone bedrock in order to access the water.