2017:612 - Kilcornan, Clarinbridge, Galway

Pre-development testing was carried out on the site of a proposed extension to Clarinbridge Burial Ground at Kilcornan, Co. Galway on 5 December 2017. The site lies partly within the area of archaeological constraint for GA095-058, a large oval enclosure (dims 120m east-west by 75m) defined by impressive earthen banks with intervening fosse at north, east and west, and by a steep escarpment where the land falls away to the Clarin River on the south. The site was in grass at the time of testing but gravel was visible across much of the surface and local information indicated that the land was previously used as a car park for the adjoining GAA grounds. Geophysical survey in December 2016 had revealed a series of linear features, likely to be agricultural in origin, and two possible curvilinear features which may be archaeological (Earthsound, 2016). Three test trenches (L 40-50m; Wth 2m) were opened across the site. The trenches were positioned to test the entire site as well as targeting the linear and curvilinear features identified in the geophysical survey. Testing confirmed that the land was previously stripped of topsoil and covered with a layer of gravel to facilitate the site's use as a temporary car park. The gravel deposit (Thickness (T) 0.15m) overlay orange/brown silty sand subsoil (T 0.2m) which in turn overlay grey sand, gravel and cobbles. The topsoil (T 0.2m) only survived in the north-west corner of the site where the gravel was deposited directly on top of the topsoil. The only finds from testing were a couple of modern pottery sherds and clay pipe stem fragments. No archaeological material was uncovered and there was nothing to indicate the source of the anomalies identified in the geophysical survey.

Dominic Delany & Associates, Creganna, Oranmore, Co. Galway