2018:443 - MONEYDUFF, Galway

Pre-development testing of a site at Moneyduff townland, on the southern outskirts of Oranmore in County Galway, was carried out between 26 and 29 March 2018. The project, which was in the pre-planning phase, consisted of a large housing development of 192 dwellings and a creche. The testing was required due to the size of the site, the scale of the proposed development and the location of a recorded monument, the site of Moneyduff Castle (GA095-084) within the proposed development site.

The proposed development ssite was located across two fields of pasture with rock outcrop and scrub in places. Areas of both fields had been the subject of field clearance in the past with a number of spoil heaps visible.

The site of the castle was situated on a rise, which measured over 5m high, near the south-east corner of the proposed development site. What remained of the monument was an overgrown rectangular area which measured 8m east-west. The line of the walls were barely discernible, apart from the south-western corner where mortared rubble was visible. The interior was overgrown and filled with loose rocks. Loose rocks were also visible on the western and southern slopes of the rise.

The testing consisted of the excavation of eleven trenches, which were located to best cover the area of the proposed development site which had not been subject to field clearance. The trenches measured 220m, 80.5m, 59.3m, 60m, 51m, 119.5m, 36.5m, 78.8m, 40.5m, 28.9m and 40m long respectively: 2.1–2.6m wide and 0.05–0.75m deep. Testing revealed evidence of natural undisturbed stratigraphy in all of the trenches, i.e. topsoil above natural subsoils and bedrock. Two features of potential archaeological significance were found in two of the trenches, a midden and a small area of burning.