2020:701 - Rathkeery 1, Roscommon

Rathkeery 1 was excavated in advance of construction of the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge Road Project in County Roscommon by Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS) on behalf of Roscommon County Council (RCC) and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). A building is depicted at the location of Rathkeery 1 on both the first-edition six-inch Ordnance Survey (OS) map (1838) and the 25-inch OS map (1914) and was recorded as CHC2 in the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) (Roughan & O’Donovan-AECOM 2017). No remains were visible above ground prior to the excavation. However, Stage (i)a Standard Test Excavation carried out by AMS under Ministerial Direction No. A077 (Registration No. E5070) confirmed the presence of a structure at Rathkeery 1 (Hardy 2021).

The structure at Rathkeery was a three-roomed direct entry dwelling with three attached outbuildings orientated west-northwest to east-southeast, 22m long and 3.5m wide. The dwelling had original earth and flag floors, which were later partially replaced with concrete, and the outbuildings had cobbled floors. A single fireplace was present in the kitchen. Fifteen sherds of post-medieval pottery, three sherds of glass, a set of rosary beads, a religious medal, a horseshoe, two iron handles, three iron hinges, an iron bar, an iron spike, an iron bolt and an unidentified iron tool were recovered from the topsoil over the foundations of the structure.

The Tithe Applotment Books (1823–37) and Griffith’s Primary Valuation (1857) suggest a Pat Dolan lived in the house in the mid-1800s. By the census of 1901, a John McGarry and his widowed mother Mary appear to have lived in it. By the census of 1911, John still lived in it, but by this time with his wife also named Mary and they were recorded as shopkeepers (National Archives: Census of Ireland 1901/1911). Local information indicates that this building operated as a shop until the 1950s.

Archaeological Management Solutions Fahy’s Road, Kilrush, Co. Clare. V15 C780