Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Souterrain
Graigue (loughrea By.), County Galway, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Graigue (loughrea By.)
- County
- Galway
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 53.21474, -8.55178
- SMR number
- GA105-215----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1753 "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
On a low rise. This well-preserved drystone-built souterrain (L >12m) was discovered in 1990 during the course of work to extend the golf course in Loughrea. It consists of two chambers
connected by a creep and is T-shaped in plan. Access was gained to the 1st chamber (L 8m, Wth 2.3m), running NE-SW, at a breach caused by a JBC. A short creep (L 0.8m; Wth 0.85m) at its NE end lead to the 2nd chamber (L 3.3m, Wth 1.5m) which runs NW-SE. This chamber was blocked by collapse at its SE end. During a partial excavation which took place following the discovery, the original entrance was located at SE end of the 2nd chamber. A corroded iron spearhead, possibly dating to 9th or 10th C, was recovered immediately outside it. Other finds of 20th-C glass indicated that the souterrain was open c. 60 years ago and this was confirmed by local information (Fitzpatrick 1990).
Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG
Date of upload: 31 May 2017
References
Fitzpatrick, M. 1990 Report on the archaeological excavation at Graigue, Loughrea, County Galway. Unpublished report.
Nearby in the register
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Souterrainunder 1 mi
- Earthworkunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.