2012:257 - ARDRAHAN, Galway

Trial trenching was carried out at the site of a proposed Sunday school building in Ardrahan, Co. Galway on 27 June 2012.  The proposed school site was located within the boundary wall of the graveyard, to the north-west of the Church of Ireland church (1809), with remains of a medieval parish church to the east of the proposed development site and the remains of a round tower to the south-west.

Prior to the commencement of testing, a large mound of re-deposited field stones, slate and other debris from the graveyard and the church was removed under supervision.  A number of low stone grave markers were discovered under the mound of stone to the north and north-west, adjacent to the graveyard walls, but there were no extant markers within the small area proposed for the Sunday school building.  A single trench, orientated east-west, was excavated through the centre of the proposed Sunday school building. It measured 7m in length and 1m in width.  At a depth of 0.4m, an in situ human skeleton, orientated east-west, was revealed and partly exposed.  The remains were recorded and the trench was reinstated.  No further excavations were carried out.