Souterrain

The National Monuments Service's description

In N part of an irregularly shaped graveyard (GA061-089003-). On 1st ed. of OS 6-inch map, the named 'Cave' appears to refer to a small rectangle (c. 6m by c. 5m) and a circle (c. 4m) in N part of the graveyard. On 3rd ed. (1915), two dots, c. 10m apart, are shown. These appear to represent the two breaches which give access to the souterrain. The section presently accessible comprises three drystone-built rectangular chambers, roughly L-shaped in plan. Access to the 1st chamber (L c. 5.6m, Wth 1.2m), running NNW-SSE, is gained via a modern breach at SSE end. A creep (Wth 0.76m) at NNW end leads to 2nd chamber (L c. 3.6m, Wth 1m), running NW-SE. The NW end is filled with soil. To NNW, a 3rd chamber (L 10.5m) runs off almost at right angles on a NNE-SSW axis. It is entered through a breach at its SSW end. It is likely that the three chambers were originally linked but collapse at the right-angled junction obscures any connecting passage or creep.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999).

Date of upload: 05 August 2010