2012:298 - TUAM: Townparks (4th Division), Galway

Five trial trenches were excavated at the site of a proposed sports hall extension in Townparks (4^th Division) townland, Tuam, on 17 April, 2012.  The site is in the grounds of St Jarlath’s College, Tuam, within the Zone of Archaeological Potential for Tuam town (GA029-199).  Nothing of archaeological significance was found during the testing of the proposed extension to the north of the existing sports hall. The site was seen to be composed almost entirely of re-deposited material and naturally occurring compact clay.  It seems likely, from a review of the stratigraphy encountered, that extensive groundworks were undertaken at this site during the construction of school buildings in the 1970s and 1980s.  It appears that the ground to the north of the existing buildings was stripped down to boulder clay prior to the laying of tarmac.  An uneven layer of re-deposited mixed stone and clay overlay the boulder clay throughout the area, with a more homogenous layer of sand and hardcore forming the base for the tarmac surfacing itself.