County: Galway Site name: Ardgaineen
Sites and Monuments Record No.: GA057-166 Licence number: 17E0465
Author: Liam Coen c/o Archer Heritage Planning
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 538172m, N 740554m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.411490, -8.929963
An RMP site, ring-barrow GA057-166, was in the area of a proposed extension to an adjacent quarry; excavation was undertaken in advance of development. The ring-barrow site was initially identified from a walk-over survey undertaken during an adjacent excavation (licence no. 05E0560) and had been subject to geophysical survey (08R141) and test-excavation (17E0187). However, the full excavation proved that the mound was of modern construction. The topsoil over the mound was removed by hand while the remaining topsoil in the area of the cutting was mechanically excavated by a 3-tonne mini-digger. A series of parallel linear features, possibly representing ‘lazy beds’, ran through the surrounding area and extended under the mound. No encircling ditch was present and the main material of the mound consisted of a light brown, friable, sandy clay, present under the topsoil throughout the site. This evidence showed the mound not to be of any archaeological significance. The geophysical and testing reports indicated the possible presence of an earlier field system but this was not identified during excavation. The metal-detecting survey, under licence 17R0216, only revealed modern material.
8 Beat Centre, Stephenstown, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin.
