County: Galway Site name: Carnmore West/An Carn Mór Thiar
Sites and Monuments Record No.: None Licence number: 22E0662
Author: Richard Crumlish
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 540228m, N 729687m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.314078, -8.896989
The test excavation of a site in advance of its development in Carnmore West/An Carn Mór Thiar townland, in Oranmore, County Galway, was carried out on 10 October 2022. The project consisted of the construction of a new dwelling along with a domestic garage. The testing report was to accompany a planning application for the proposed development and was necessary due to the proximity of the proposed development to a souterrain (RMP GA083-016), located c. 20m to the south-south-east.
The monument was discovered during construction of an adjacent dwelling to the south-south-east in 1982 and is located within the driveway to the south-east of the house. It is described on the Historic Environment Viewer (www.archaeology.ie) as 'This drystone-built L-shaped souterrain (L over 21m) consists of three chambers connected by two-drop-hole creeps'.
The proposed development was located in a relatively flat, overgrown, field of pasture, along a local road with modern dwellings on all sides. No features of archaeological significance were visible within the proposed development site.
The testing consisted of the excavation of four trenches, located to best cover the area of the proposed development. The trenches measured 46.5m, 18m, 17.3m and 26.5m long respectively; 1.6-1.9m wide and 0.4-0.8m deep. The spoil from each trench was carefully inspected during the testing. The stratigraphy in all four trenches consisted of topsoil above grey boulder clay and loose grey sand and gravel, i.e., natural subsoils. No finds were recovered.
There was no evidence that the souterrain extended into the proposed development site. Nothing of archaeological significance was in evidence.
4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, County Mayo
