2020:121 - Maddenstown Gallop, The Curragh, Kildare

Intermittent archaeological monitoring of excavation works associated with the refurbishment and upgrade of Maddenstown Gallop (part of the Curragh Racecourse Training Grounds) were carried out in June and July 2020. The Maddenstown Gallop is a 2,120m long by 5m wide track that extends in a straight line before terminating at its south-eastern end in a looped section. This gallop was initially constructed in the mid–late twentieth century over the footprint of a ploughed gallop.
Kildare County Council declared the refurbishment and upgrade works of Maddenstown Gallop an Exempted Development under Section 5 (Declaration of Development & Exempted Development under Section 5 Ref ED/00734) on 4 September 2019. The exemption was granted on the basis that “the works would comprise works of maintenance and improvement of existing gallops which would not materially affect the appearance of those gallops and the provisions of section 4(1)(h) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) apply in this instance” (Ref ED/00734).
Following this decision, the proposed works were exempt from any archaeological conditions. However, the site is located within a rich archaeological landscape that is primarily characterised by funerary sites and monuments, and there are a number of recorded archaeological sites located in close proximity to the development. It is was therefore considered prudent to undertake limited archaeological monitoring, and a decision was made by AMS Ltd. and the client to procure an archaeological licence for this in the event that archaeological material may still have been present below the formation of the existing gallop, in order to avoid any potential delays to the development.
The monitored development works comprised the refurbishment and upgrading of this gallop. The refurbishment and upgrade works involved excavation and removal of the original sand wood-chip gallop and drainage system and installing a new more efficient and sustainable track with a more effective drainage system. These development works were located within the footprint of the original gallop, and whilst works required the base to be deepened, monitoring revealed that the construction of the original gallop had a formation level cut into natural subsoil.
No finds or features of an archaeological nature were uncovered during any of the excavation works associated with the refurbishment and upgrade of the Maddenstown Gallop at the Curragh Racecourse Training Grounds.

Unit 1 Hector Street Mills, Kilrush, Co. Clare