2023:458 - Kelly Street, Loughrea, Galway

The test excavation of a site in advance of its development at Kelly Street in Loughrea, County Galway, was carried out on 15 and 22 March 2023. The development consisted of the demolition of a ruinous building and the construction of a new three-storey building. The testing was necessary due to the location of the proposed development within the historic town of Loughrea (RMP No. GA105-150). It was carried out as part of the planning process.

The site was located on the east side of Kelly Street and contained the roofless ruin of a two-storey building facing onto Kelly Street, to the rear of which was a yard and two roofless stone outbuildings. The extant buildings on the site dated to the modern period, i.e. the 19th century with 20th-century alterations.

The testing consisted of the excavation of three trenches which were located in the yard, which was the only accessible area within the proposed development site. The trenches measured 4.3m, 2.1m and 2m long respectively; 0.9-1.3m wide and 0.3-1.4m deep.

The pre-development testing revealed evidence of modern activity only and nothing of archaeological significance.