Project Code: NGTS10 Client: Galway County Council Date: May 2012 M17 Galway (Rathmorrissy) to Tuam Archaeological Services Contract (2010) forming part of the N17/N18 Gort to Tuam PPP Scheme, Co. Galway. Final Excavation Report for Kilskeagh 5 in the townland of Kilskeagh, Co. Galway. Ministerial Directions Number: A049 Excavation Registration Number: E4088 Townland Name: Kilskeagh Civil Parish: Athenry Barony: Clare Site Type: Post‐medieval enclosure and structure National Grid Reference: 147599, 235466 Chainage: 7910‐7930/720‐750 Archaeological Consultant: Headland Archaeology (Ireland) Ltd Director: Liam McKinstry Report Author: Liam McKinstry & Sinéad Madigan Report Status: Approved Project Code: NGTS10 Client: Galway County Council Date: May 2012 M17 Galway (Rathmorrissy) to Tuam Archaeological Services Contract (2010) forming part of the N17/N18 Gort to Tuam PPP Scheme, Co. Galway. Final Excavation Report for Kilskeagh 5 in the townland of Kilskeagh, Co. Galway. Ministerial Directions Number: A049 Excavation Registration Number: E4088 Townland Name: Kilskeagh Civil Parish: Athenry Barony: Clare Site Type: Post‐medieval enclosure and structure National Grid Reference: 147599, 235466 Chainage: 7910‐7930/720‐750 Archaeological Consultant: Headland Archaeology (Ireland) Ltd Director: Liam McKinstry Report Author: Liam McKinstry & Sinéad Madigan Report Status: Approved M17 Galway (Rathmorrissy) to Tuam Archaeological Services Contract (2010) forming part of the N17/N18 Gort to Tuam PPP Scheme, Co. Galway. Final Excavation Report for Kilskeagh 5 in the townland of Kilskeagh, Co. Galway. (E4088). CONTENTS Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 1 INTRODUCTION 6 2 SITE BACKGROUND AND LOCATION 7 2.1 Site location 7 2.2 General background 7 2.3 Recent excavations 7 3 OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY 9 3.1 Objectives 9 3.2 Methodology 9 4 THE RESULTS 10 4.1 Phase I 10 4.2 Phase II 10 4.3 Phase III 11 4.4 The finds and samples 11 5 DISCUSSION 12 5.1 Dating evidence 12 5.2 The structure 12 5.3 Vernacular architecture 12 5.4 Vernacular Settlement 14 5.5 Conclusions 15 6 ARCHIVE QUANTITIES 16 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 16 REFERENCES 17 FIGURES Figure 1 E4088 / Kilskeagh 5. Site location Figure 2 E4088 / Kilskeagh 5. Site location on extract from First Edition 6” OS (1840) map Figure 3 E4088 / Kilskeagh 5. Site Layout PLATES Plate 1 Pre‐excavation view of site, facing east Plate 2 Revetment wall (009) and structure wall (008), facing east Plate 3 Internal dividing wall, facing southeast Plate 4 Post‐excavation view of structure, facing north Plate 5 Aerial view of Kilskeagh 5, vernacular building, looking southwest 2 M17 Galway (Rathmorrissy) to Tuam Archaeological Services Contract (2010) forming part of the N17/N18 Gort to Tuam PPP Scheme, Co. Galway. Final Excavation Report for Kilskeagh 5 in the townland of Kilskeagh, Co. Galway. (E4088). APPENDICES Appendix 1 Context Register Appendix 2 Finds Register Appendix 3 Sample Registers Appendix 4 Drawing Register Appendix 5 Photo Register Appendix 6 Site Matrix Appendix 7 Faunal remains assessment from Kilskeagh 5, Co. Galway (E4088) 3 M17 Galway (Rathmorrissy) to Tuam Archaeological Services Contract (2010) forming part of the N17/N18 Gort to Tuam PPP Scheme, Co. Galway. Final Excavation Report for Kilskeagh 5 in the townland of Kilskeagh, Co. Galway. (E4088). EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report presents the final results of an archaeological excavation at Cloondarone, Co. Galway, undertaken on behalf of Galway County Council. The excavation works were undertaken as part of an Archaeological Services Contract (2010) prior to the commencement of construction of the M17 Galway (Rathmorrissy) to Tuam section of the N17/18 Gort to Tuam PPP Scheme. The M17 scheme extends from Rathmorrissy townland (at the southern end of the scheme) to Kilmore townland (at the northern end of the scheme) in Co. Galway. The Minister of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, following consultation with the National Museum of Ireland, issued Directions to Galway County Council for archaeological works associated with the road development (A049). The Excavation Registration Number, E4088, was allocated by the Department for archaeological excavations at Kilskeagh 5 under the direction of Liam McKinstry of Headland Archaeology (Ireland) Ltd. The Archaeological Services Contract (2010) was commissioned by Galway County Council and funded by the National Roads Authority; the contract was managed by Hyder Tobin Engineers on behalf of Galway County Council. Stage (i) Test Excavation and Survey Services along the scheme were undertaken by CRDS Ltd between August and January 2010 (Bartlett 2009; Shine et al. 2009a‐d). These test excavations identified a total of 27 archaeological sites which required full archaeological excavation under Stage (iii) of the service requirements. Stage (ii) Pre‐Excavation Services were also undertaken by CRDS Ltd. At that time a number of areas within the scheme were not subject to Stage (i) test excavation. Testing in these areas, comprising 17 specified locations omitted from the previous Contract (2009), were carried out by Headland Archaeology (Ireland) Ltd on behalf of Galway County Council between 11 and 21 May 2010 under Excavation Registration Number E4022. No additional archaeological sites were identified. The test excavations at Kilskeagh 5 identified a rectilinear depression containing a possible enclosure and a structure (Bartlett 2009; Shine et al. 2009a; Shine et al. 2009b; Shine et al. 2009c; Shine et al. 2009d). The 1st edition OS map (1838‐9) depicts a single building, farmyard walls and a track/road, while the 25”OS mapping published in 1894 depicts only the building The structure may have been associated with what is locally know as ‘Old Kilskeagh’ a village that was deserted in the 19th century (John Morris, pers. comm.). Kilskeagh 5 was located southeast of sites Kilskeagh 2 and 4. Full archaeological excavation was undertaken at the site between June and July 2010; a preliminary report on the results of the excavation was submitted in August 2010. Kilskeagh 5 was situated in a somewhat disturbed area of a relatively flat field which sloped slightly from east to west. The field itself formed part of plateau on the eastern side of Kilskeagh Hill. Two areas of excavation at this site measured 24 m (north‐east–south‐west) by 8 m (northwest/southeast) and 22 m (northwest/southeast) by 14 m north‐east–south‐west). The excavation The first phase of activity on the site was characterised by the construction of a single rectangular, stone‐built structure and an enclosure. Phase II related to the demolition of the structure, while the third phase was represented by modern agricultural practices. The subsoil in the area seemed to have been deliberately excavated down to the underlying bedrock and an artificial platform had been constructed. This platform most probably served to secure the 4 M17 Galway (Rathmorrissy) to Tuam Archaeological Services Contract (2010) forming part of the N17/N18 Gort to Tuam PPP Scheme, Co. Galway. Final Excavation Report for Kilskeagh 5 in the townland of Kilskeagh, Co. Galway. (E4088). footings for the wall foundations of the structure and enclosure. The structure itself is estimated to have originally measured 12.5 m (north‐east–south‐west) by 4.8 m; however, the majority of the stone had been robbed out. Only two sections of the outer wall – constructed using both outer and inner facing stones with a core made up of mortar, cobbles and small irregularly‐shaped stones – remained in situ and most of the internal dividing wall and the original floor surfaces – comprising partial limestone mortar surfaces – had also been removed. Remnants of the enclosure, comprising two short sections of wall, were identified in the southeast area of the site; these measured 0.3 m in width and 0.7 to 1.1 m in height. To the northeast of the structure were the remains of a narrow laneway, which ran in a north‐east– south‐west direction. It was partially cobbled and bounded on both sides by dry‐stone walling. It adjoined and ran perpendicular to a north‐west–south‐east running road, both of which are evident on the 1st Edition 6” Ordnance Survey map (1838‐9) of the area (see Fig. 3). The structure was sealed by a series of rubble layers consisting of a mix of building debris, such as faced stones and mortar. The lower deposits related to the initial demolition of the structure, while the later deposits in the sequence related mostly to 20th–21st century field clearance and rubbish dumping. Dating No radiocarbon dates were obtained from this site and the lack of artefactual evidence has meant that the dating of the structures was reliant on analysis of historic mapping. The settlement appears on the 1st edition of the Ordnance Survey 6” series (1838‐9), but is no longer present by the time of compilation of the 25” edition (1894) providing a terminus ante quem for both its construction and abandonment/demolition. Results of Specialist Analysis Faunal remains: The animal bone assemblage from Kilskeagh 5 came from two different contexts, a Phase I external wall of the structure, and a Phase II deposit associated with the demolition of the structure. A total of four fragments were recovered. The assemblage includes elements from the pelvic girdle, the upper limbs and the head of sheep/goat and pig, all of which are associated with meat exploitation and secondary butchery. The pig specimens suggest pork consumption, with the butchery being carried out on site, although there is no evidence for slaughtering. The sheep/goat assemblage suggests slaughtering and butchery of the animals for meat consumption on the site. This suggests that the sheep/goat processing (killing, preparation, consumption and disposal) may have been carried out in the same area (Appendix 7). 5 M17 Galway (Rathmorrissy) to Tuam Archaeological Services Contract (2010) forming part of the N17/N18 Gort to Tuam PPP Scheme, Co.