2019:861 - ATHENRY, Galway

The author was commissioned by ESB Networks to carry out the manual excavation of a stay for a low voltage pole opposite Joyce’s Service Station, Dublin Road, Athenry. The pole is located in a green field site approximately 15m to the east of an upstanding section of the town defences (GA084-001001–) and within the Zone of Archaeological Potential for the monument. The site is also located within 50m of the south-east corner of the Saints Peter and Paul Dominican priory religious house and graveyard (SMR GA084-001014–) and within the Architectural Conservation Area of the Historic Town of Athenry.

The excavation was carried out on 9 and 10 September 2019. The pit exposed a disturbed stratigraphy probably representing fills and up-cast from a nearby mill race. This mill race follows the line of a fosse dug outside the town wall. No archaeology was found during the excavation. The site was revisited on 9 January 2020 and mechanically dug through natural sand and gravel to the required level, the stay inserted and the pit backfilled. No archaeology was found during the excavations.