2017:114 - N17 N18 Gort to Tuam PPP Scheme, Galway

The N17/N18 Gort to Tuam Road Scheme, which forms part of the Atlantic Road Corridor, consists of 57km of motorway/dual carriageway. The National Roads Authority has procured, by way of PPP, the design, construction, operation and financing of the scheme. Eacthra Archaeological Projects Ltd were appointed as archaeological consultant by the contracting consortium, Direct Route, whose members include Roadbridge Civil Enginering & Building Contractors, John Sisk & Son (Holdings) Ltd. and Lagan Construction Group Ltd. The project is funded by the Irish Government under the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. A design method statement for archaeological monitoring of a total of 29 untested areas (UTA) on the N17/N18 was submitted to the relevant authorities. The monitoring works took place under Ministerial Directions Number A000045 and Registration Number E004587. In addition to the 29 UTAs a total of 25 sites were added as appendices to the Design Method Statement. These areas were located adjacent to the lands made available and were used by the 3 different construction companies for compound sites, temporary storage of topsoil, storage of stone and permanent storage of topsoil.

The programme of monitoring took place on an intermittent basis from January 2015 until August 2015. A total of six sites (appendices to the Design Method Statement) within Roadbridge’s section of the N17 N18 Gort to Tuam PPP Scheme were revisited in May 2017. No archaeological features, sites or artefacts were recorded at any of the UTA sites.Two archaeological sites were recorded during testing/monitoring of the additional 25 sites. These comprised three burnt mounds in Garrauncreeen and a burnt mound in Cloondarone. The burnt mounds in Garrauncreen were excavated under licence E4612. The location of the burnt mound in Cloondarone was recorded and left in situ.

Eachtra Archaeological Projects Ltd, Lickybeg, Clashmore, Co Waterford