2026:050 - Spanish Parade, Galway, Galway

This report pertains to the laying of a gas service in an existing paved area near the Spanish Arch in Galway City centre. This location is within an urban environment which mainly consists of buildings and artificial surfaces. The proposed works are directly to the east of the river Corrib. The works comprised a connection onto existing pipework and the laying of  approx. 30m of 125PE 75mbar main, all open-cut and approx. 600mm deep. The works took place within the  Historic Core of Galway and near the conjectural location of the town wall.

The town has several designations relating to the protection and enhancement of its built and archaeological heritage. Galway is a historic town (GA094-100—-). It is part of the Irish Walled towns Network and contains within its precincts individual recorded monuments of national and regional significance. The historic core is also an Architectural Conservation Area as defined in the Galway City Council Development Plan and contains a frequency of protected structures/ NIAH buildings.

Full-time archaeological monitoring of the work was undertaken between 11 and 13 September 2024. The conditions were dry and generally sunny and bright. The pipeline route was excavated for the most part beneath modern paving at the quay side of the works. The connection to Lemongrass restaurant to the northeast was excavated through an area of tarmacadam. The works to facilitate the connection reached a depth of roughly 600mm maximum. The deposits encountered comprise of sands, modern service ducting and pipes, occasional rubble, red brick, silts. There are inclusions of more modern material in places.

It is probable that the area in question was reclaimed sometime in the 18^th/19^th centuries. In the 17^th century and earlier, the area was likely for the most part submerged. Nothing of archaeological significance was noted during the monitoring.