2024:479 - Cullairbaun, Athenry, Galway

A total of 17 trenches (668 linear metres) were excavated on 16 and 17 December 2024 at Cullairbaun, Athenry, Co. Galway.

A low ridge or esker runs along the northern boundary of the site. It was initially suggested that this ridge may have been part of the Esker Riada. Trenches 2, 3, 5, 6 and 9 crossed the esker ridge. Nothing of archaeological significance was recorded in these trenches. All trenches recorded a subsoil of loose grey sand, gravel and stone mix which sharply drops off to an orange clay at lower lying areas.

Trench 10 was placed to investigate a hillock once mistaken for archaeological mound and given RMP number GA084-070 (now redundant). The trench revealed the subsoil across the hillock comprises a loose grey sand, gravel and stone mix which abruptly changes to an orange clay at the base of the hillock. It is natural and non-archaeological.

Several modern features were encountered across the site. Nineteen modern agricultural furrows (C4, C6, C7, C8, C9, C10, C11, C12, C13, C14, C15, C16, C18, C19, C20, C24, C25, C26 & C27) were encountered across 9 of the trenches. In the southern field these likely related to Geophysical Anomaly #4. Two modern stone-filled features (C5 & C17) were encountered in Trench 3 and 12 respectively. They both contained a dump of stone which contained frequent fragments of modern tableware pottery and were likely to be fills of ditches or sand pits. Three modern trenches (C22, C23 & C28) containing modern metal or plastic pipes were recorded. Pipe C28 crossed two trenches (T12 & T14) and relates to geophysical anomaly #1. Finally, a shallow (possible) field boundary (C21) was recorded in Trench 15. It contained a single fill which produced modern tableware pottery.

Nothing of archaeological significance was recorded during the archaeological test trenching.