County: Galway Site name: FORTY ACRES/SLIEVEDARRAGH/QUAYBAUN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 11E0196
Author: Patricia Long
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 545418m, N 754382m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.536545, -8.823390
Test trenching on the route of the proposed N83 Tuam to Dunmore road realignment project was carried out between 25 and 27 July 2011.
The proposed road realignment in the townlands of Forty Acres, Slievedarragh and Quaybaun (some 3.5km north-east of Tuam town) is being carried out by Galway County Council. The proposed works will level and soften a bend along an approximately 1km-long stretch of the existing road between Tuam and Dunmore.
A total of 22 test trenches were excavated in five fields, comprising a total of 877 linear metres of trenching. A small number of linear features were identified but were deemed to be of low archaeological significance and are probably the result of post-medieval agricultural activity. Overall no features of archaeological significance were identified.
Topsoil-stripping by machine was carried out at a specified location adjacent to an enclosure (GA29-158). This area measured 2,835.1m². Three linear features of uncertain date were identified. They did not appear to be related to the enclosure and were characteristic of post-medieval agricultural features. The standing remains of the enclosure are outside the road-take and so will not be affected by the development.
Rubicon Heritage Services Ltd, Unit 1, Wallingstown Business Park, Little Island, Cork
