Souterrain

The National Monuments Service's description

Within the NW quadrant of a rath (GA095-125----). This drystone-built souterrain (L >16.4m) consists of two/three chambers and a creep. The 1st chamber (L 8.2m; Wth 1.8m; H 1.65m) runs NW-SE. Access is gained through a breach in the roof at SE. From the breach the chamber extends for 6.6m to the NW. It continues for a further 1.6m to the SE as a shallow depression. A partially blocked creep (H 0.6m; Wth 0.52m; accessible L 1.16m), running at a right angle to this chamber, is evident at the N end of the E side-wall. It suggests the presence of another chamber. Some 9.8m NW of the 'entrance' to the 1st chamber another modern breach gives access to the 2nd chamber (L 6.6m; Wth 1.6m) which runs N-S. Again from the point of entry the chamber survives intact to the N for a length of 5.4m; a depression at S indicates its continuance for a further 1.2m. (Athy 1914, 133; McCaffrey 1952, 142, no. 10)

Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG

Date of upload: 3 April 2018

References

McCaffrey, P. 1952 A contribution to the archaeology of the barony of Dunkellin, Co. Galway. Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.

Lynch Athy, M. 1914 Notes on the Ordnance Survey Letters relating to the Barony of Dunkellin, Co. Galway: IV - Oranmore Parish. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society 8, 129-98.