County: Galway Site name: Dolphin Street/Abbey Street, Loughrea
Sites and Monuments Record No.: GA105-150 GA105-150001 Licence number: Ext C000921; E005037
Author: Fiona Rooney
Site type: Historic Town
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 561883m, N 716830m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.200546, -8.570485
Phase 1 of works at Dolphin Street and Abbey Street, Loughrea, Co. Galway included the archaeological monitoring of the demolition of the buildings, metal detection of spoil removed from the ‘watercourse’, excavation of 2 geo-technical test pits and the resolution of the extent and date of a drain feature recorded in a previous assessment.
Phase 2 is expected to be carried out in mid-2021, this will involve monitoring of groundworks and metal detecting to facilitate in the retrieval of finds.
The monitoring of the demolition and excavation works at Dolphin and Abbey Streets was carried out over a period of 5 weeks. The buildings were constructed of stone and concrete and dated to the latter part of the 19th century. No features and or finds of archaeological/architectural significance were revealed during the course of the demolition and removal of demolition rubble. The spoil previously removed from ‘the watercourse’ was spread out, and a metal detector was used to scan the material. All the finds dated to the 20th century and were comprised of bottles, plastic fragments.
The stone drain ran north-south for a length of 6m; it had been disturbed at both north and south ends. It measured 1.55m in width and was comprised of numerous large cap stones (500mm x 250mm x 100mm) with smaller packing stones (averaging 250mm x 250mm x 80mm), set into a redeposited natural at the edges. It was U-shaped in section, with small stones at base, dims. 1.1m in width, 0.5m in depth and cut into the natural. Excavations found no evidence of the drain beyond the foundation wall and it would appear to be associated with the schoolhouse dating to the 19th century.
The stratigraphy encountered in the engineer's test pit located in the west of the site revealed the building rubble overlying natural layers. Monitoring of the engineer's test pit in the east of the site, along Abbey Road, revealed building rubble overlying a deposit of stones and a black humic clay.
Due to its proximity to the Carmelite Abbey (GA105:152) it is recommended that further archaeological monitoring be carried out in this area, prior to the commencement of groundworks.
Through Time Ltd, Old Church Street, Athenry, Co. Galway
