County: Galway Site name: University Road, Galway
Sites and Monuments Record No.: GA094-116 Licence number: 15E0343
Author: Richard Crumlish
Site type: Limekiln
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 529460m, N 725708m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.277001, -9.057672
Monitoring of groundworks at a development at Fisheries Field, University Road, Galway City, was carried out between 5 and 13 August 2015. The project consisted of the construction of a shared pedestrian and cyclist route for NUIG. The monitoring was required due to the proximity of the works to a limekiln (GA094-116), which is also a protected structure (RPS Ref. 3609). The limekiln was built c. 1820 in response to a cholera outbreak with the lime being used in the construction of a nearby Fever Hospital. It was restored in 2006.
Fisheries Field is a green area located along the west bank of the River Corrib with a tarred access road along its west side and the limekiln in the north-west corner. Across the tarred road to the west is a range of buildings which date from the 19th and 20th centuries and which contain units associated with NUIG sports clubs and the Macnas Theatre Company. The Eglinton Canal is located at the north end of the site.
The area of the proposed pedestrian path/cyclist route and an associated soak trench was located along the west side of the green area/east side of the existing access road. The excavated area measured 52m long, 4.5-5m wide and 50-200mm deep. Below the topsoil was quarried stone, re-deposited subsoil and bedrock. The depth of topsoil was not exceeded in places. Below the topsoil along the west side of the limekiln was fill and a loose black ash-like deposit which contained modern pottery sherds, modern glass fragments and red/yellow brick fragments. This layer appeared to be associated with the limekiln.
Further excavation for two ducts and the soak trench uncovered a number of modern services adjacent to the limekiln. This trench measured 1.1-1.3m wide and 0.4-0.5m deep, below that already reduced for the pedestrian path. Below the topsoil and quarried stone was fill, above natural subsoil. The fill contained modern artefacts.
Nothing of archaeological significance was uncovered during monitoring of the groundworks. The excavation revealed evidence of extensive modern disturbance with 19th/20th century artefacts recovered.
4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
