2009:415 - CASTLELAMBERT RINGFORT, RATHMORRISSY, Galway

Test excavation and survey services were carried out on the 26.5km route of the M17 Galway (Rathmorrissy) to Tuam road scheme. Services were managed for Galway County Council by HyderTobin Consultants and funded by the National Roads Authority. These services included site-specific test excavations by hand at known sites of archaeological significance. Such testing was conducted at Castlelambert Ringfort (lying within the townland of Rathmorrissy), some 60% of which falls within the footprint of the scheme. The townlands of Castlelambert and Rathmorrissy lie some 3 km west of Athenry in Co. Galway. The enclosure is located on a ridge of high ground which affords commanding views of the surrounding lowlands. The site has been described as a univallate ringfort in the Archaeological Inventory for Co. Galway (Alcock et al. 1999) and as an unclassified ringfort in the SMR for the area (www.archaeology.ie).
An upstanding bank is clearly visible at the site and encloses an area of c. 52m (north–south) by 25m. The bank survives to an average height of 1m from the internal ground level and to an average width of 5m. Three breaks in the bank are present along its course. One appears to be the original entrance in the north-east, the second, in the south-east, is the probable result of quarrying activity and the third, in the north and adjacent to the townland boundary wall, is probably due to livestock damage.
The silted-up ditch is visible to the exterior of the bank. Test excavations revealed the ditch to measure 3.55m in maximum width and 2m in maximum depth. Seven fills were noted within.
A relatively well-preserved cobbled stone surface was noted at the entrance to the ringfort comprising a layer of well-set sub-rounded and sub-angular stones. The surface measures 7.7m (north-east/southwest) in maximum length and extends to the northwest and south-east beyond the excavated area.
At the interior of the enclosure, towards the southern limit, the apparent foundation cut for a circular structure (measuring 4.6m in internal diameter) was exposed. The cut measures a maximum 0.6m in width. Three fills were noted within the cut as well as evidence of stone packing in the form of well-set and compacted flat stones.
Foundations for a second structure or enclosure were noted to the immediate north. These measure some 6m (north–south) by 5m and appear to be those of a less substantial structure than noted to the south. This has been interpreted as the remains of an animal pen or similar.
Evidence of possible early modern activity at the site was also noted.
No datable artefacts were recovered during these excavations. That portion of the site falling within the footprint of the scheme will be fully excavated as part of future work on the scheme.
Reference
Alcock, O., K. de h”ra and P. Gosling 1999 (comp.)
Archaeological inventory of County Galway, vol.
II: North Galway. The Stationery Office, www.archaeology.ie.