2010:447 - Killaliathan Church, Lacka Lower, Limerick

Test excavation was carried out in advance of conservation work by the Office of Public Works, at the site of the late medieval church of Killaliathan, Lacka Lower, Co. Limerick. The church is a national monument in state ownership and it was necessary to implement urgent conservation work, as the upper portion of the west gable of the church was in imminent danger of collapse. It was proposed, under ministerial consent and following full recording, to dismantle the wall in a controlled manner, to be reconstructed as part of the agreed conservation plan for the site. As part of the remedial works for this, it was required that test-trenches be excavated to allow an assessment to be made of the stability of the lower courses of the west gable in advance of reconstruction and conservation. It was necessary to expose the wall to foundation level for this in advance of any rebuilding to take place. It was also part of the agreed methodology, as burials have been placed both inside and outside the church, that if burials or burial remains were encountered they would not be disturbed and the test-trench would be recorded and then closed. Four test-trenches were opened, one on the external face of the west gable and three internally. Originally it was intended to open two outside and two inside, but it became clear that it was not possible to open any more trenches on the external part of the wall due to the presence of graves placed right up against the wall area.
Trench 1 was opened internally, 1.06m north of the west gable doorway. It was 0.6m x 0.6m in size and exposed a thin sod covering. At 0.05m beneath the surface human remains were encountered, including a fragment of crushed skull and several arm bone fragments. Two stones were placed against the skull fragment, which may represent pillow-stones, with skull remains appearing to be from a young adult; two teeth were also visible; orientation of burial, as adjudged by placement of skull and arm bone fragments, would be east–west. Human remains were just below the surface and seem to be crushed. A fragment of a pipe stem was also recovered from the trench. As the burial was considered to be in situ, following full recording the trench was closed.
Trench 2 was opened internally, north of the west gable doorway and 0.48m north of Trench 1. It was 0.6m x 0.6m in size, with soil composition identical to Trench 1. Immediately upon removal of shallow sod, another burial was encountered, c. 0.05m below surface. It has been disturbed previously by the insertion of a large stone that is associated with another burial immediate to the test-trench; animal disturbance was evident, with some human bones being scattered; there is also possible evidence of remains of a coffin in the form of corroded iron fixings protruding through the surface of the ground. Fragments of green glass were recovered and one small, modern glass blue bead, which shows signs of machine workings on its surface.
Trench 3 was opened internally, 1.74m south of the west gable doorway. It measured 0.6m north–south by 0.45m; the smaller cutting was necessitated by the location of a modern grave immediately to the east of the gable wall. The soil in this area is much wetter, sticky and loamy with small to medium stones. The first 0.15m below thin sod topsoil removed easily but were disturbed, with fragments of human bone and mortar included from the nearby plinth of a modern grave. The trench was excavated to a depth of 0.22m, whereupon adult human bone was encountered at the south-east side of the trench, with a residual wooden plank fragment, interpreted as the remains of a coffin. Part of an arm bone and skull were visible in section, giving an east–west burial orientation; the burial is right up against the gable wall, with stones from the wall having been removed to accommodate the burial. One possible kerbstone from the gable became visible at this point; fragments of snail shells, green glass and plastic grave flowers were within the cutting at this level, so there is modern disturbance in this area. Excavation ceased at this point.
Trench 4 was opened externally, 2m north of the west gable doorway. It was 0.6m x 0.6m in size. Small fragments of human bone within a coarse rubble fill of silty gravel material were immediately visible. No articulated remains were encountered within first 0.37m and this depth was sufficient to expose the lower course of the gable wall at this point, with two kerbing stones becoming visible. In section to the immediate west of the kerbstones were visible in situ human remains of an adult, with two teeth visible and part of a shoulder bone. The top part of the skull seems to have been disturbed or robbed, as it was missing; a void was visible to the south of the kerbstones, which may indicate an adjacent grave-cut.