2024:894 - Garbally Demesne, Galway

Archaeological monitoring of topsoil removal was carried out on a proposed development site at St Joseph’s Place, Garbally Demesne, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, between 8 and 28 May 2024. The monitoring followed on from archaeological testing in June 2023, and the excavation of two burials in October 2023 (2023:896). The topsoil strip was carried out methodically over a three-week period. The stratigraphy generally consisted of 0.2-0.3m of grey/brown sandy silt topsoil, over 0.15-0.2m of light yellow/brown and orange/brown silty sand subsoil, over grey sand, gravel and stone. There was much evidence of modern disturbance across the site in the form of several fire spots, a disused concrete service pipe and associated soak pit, a large stone-filled pit, and a large rubbish-filled pit. It is considered likely that the site was used as a construction compound during previous developments at St Joseph’s Place in the 1950s and 1970s. A 4m length of a gently curving linear ditch was uncovered in the south extent of the site. A section cutting revealed a rounded ditch cut (Wth 1.5m; Depth 0.65m) containing fills of light grey/brown sandy silt, over light orange/brown silty sand, both containing moderate stone inclusions, and occasional animal bone fragments. A large boulder located directly in the line of the ditch was left undisturbed by the ditch cut. The provenance of the ditch was not established but as no further excavations were required in this area, it was agreed that the feature should be preserved in situ by means of a protective covering of geotextile sheeting and fine sand.