2024:618 - Kilgalligan/Cill Ghallagáin, Mayo

The test excavation of a site in advance of its development at Kilgalligan/Cill Ghallagáin townland, Carrowteige, Ballina, Co. Mayo, was carried out on 25 and 26 November 2024. The project consists of an extension to an existing graveyard. The testing was necessary due to the proximity of the proposed development to a church (RMP MA004-006001), graveyard (RMP MA004-006002) and associated cairn (RMP MA004-006003).

The proposed development was located in a field of pasture adjacent to the existing graveyard. Within the proposed development site was a sub-rectangular area enclosed by low earth and stone banks, which are relict field boundaries,  No remains are now visible of the church, but it appears to have been located at or close to a grass-covered stony mound in the north-east of the graveyard. The cairn measures c. 12m in east-west diameter and is 2.5-3.0m high. Near its summit is an upright slab, a prone slab and a quern-stone fragment.

A geophysical survey of the site was carried out in September 2024, under Detection Licence No. 24R0439. The survey identified twelve anomalies of potential archaeological significance across the site.

The testing consisted of the eleven trenches, located to best cover the area of the proposed development, while focusing on the anomalies identified in the geophysical survey. The proposed graveyard extension layout was designed to preserve the relict field boundaries in situ. As a result these were not subject to testing. The test trenches measured 42m, 5.8m, 6.3m, 24.5m, 20m, 5.8m, 8.6m, 35m, 14.5m, 15.5m and 6.3m long respectively; 1.9-2.1m wide and 0.35-1.4m deep.

The pre-development testing revealed nothing of archaeological significance. No artefacts were recovered. The anomalies identified in the geophysical survey appear to be sub-surface drains and associated groundwater.