County: Galway Site name: KILCOONA
Sites and Monuments Record No.: GA056-085 Licence number: C453; E4246
Author: Anne Carey
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 531165m, N 743758m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.439414, -9.036041
Seven trial trenches were excavated at the site of a proposed burial ground extension in Kilcoona townland, Headford, on 16 February 2011. The proposed development site was located adjacent to a medieval church, round tower and graveyard. Kilcoona (Cill Chuana or St Cuana’s Church) was, according to Gwynn and Hadcock, granted to St Colmcille by Tibrades, son of Prince Maelduin. St Cuana (d. c. 650), formerly a monk at Lismore, built a monastery at Kilcoona and became abbot there. The church later belonged to the Fratres Cruciferi of Castledermot.
The site is known for its round tower, which survives to a height of 3m. Antiquarians appear to have confused this site with Annaghdown, some four miles to the south-west, to which they attributed a round tower mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters. No such round tower existed at Annaghdown and William Wilde, writing in the 1860s, suggested that the reference probably related to Kilcoona, which was connected with the ecclesiastical site at Annaghdown. The Annals date the round tower to the year 1238.
The excavation of seven trial trenches at the site did not result in the discovery of archaeological features or artefacts, and the trenches were seen to be composed of naturally occurring soils.
80 Portacarron, Ballymoneen Road, Galway
