County: Galway Site name: Doughiska
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E003588
Author: Michael Tierney, The Archaeology Company Ltd, Hamilton House, Emmet Street, Birr, Co. Offaly.
Site type: Well
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 535670m, N 727134m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.290611, -8.964852
Monitoring was carried out in September–October 2007 in advance of development works along the route of the N6 Galway to Ballinasloe Public Private Partnership Scheme. The well was sub-ovular in plan, forming a point at the north end where access steps were located and with a straight edge at the opposing south end. In effect, this gave it the appearance in plan of an almond with one end sliced off. It had external dimensions of 5.36m north–south by 4m and internal dimensions (i.e. the actual well opening) of 3.16m north–south by 2.6m. The wall of the well was of a fairly uniform thickness, being 0.7–0.8m thick. The walls were not smoothly curved around the shape, but had a slight angular kink from where the widest part of the well at east–west began to taper in towards the steps. At the south, where the wall was straight, it was vertical at 90°, whilst the remainder of the wall, which was curved/kinked, was slightly buttressed, presumably to improve stability and structural integrity. In profile, the well was a flat-bottomed U shape, with a step down at either side. The depth of the well was 1.9m.
There were no markings on the stones or any associated finds present, which suggested any ritual function for the well or indications that it was used as a holy well. Indeed, holy wells are usually well known in a locality and, given that this well was probably in use until the mid-20th century, it is unlikely that a religious association would be previously unknown to the archaeological record.
Editor’s note: The summary of this work, though carried out in 2007, arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.
