Archaeological Report - Caherweelder 4 , Co. Galway (Ireland)

Eachtra Journal

Issue 8 [ISSN 2009-2237]

Archaeological Excavation Report
E3708 - Caherweelder 4, Co. Galway
Well

EACHTRA
Archaeological Projects

Final Archaeological Excavation Report
Caherweelder 4
Co. Galway
Well

Date: October 2010

Client: Galway County Council and National
Roads Authority

Project: N18 Oranmore to Gort
E No: E3708

Excavation Director: Enda O'Mahony

Written by: Enda O’Mahony & Finn Delaney

Final Archaeological Excavation Report
Caherweelder 4
Co. Galway

Excavation Director

Enda O'Mahony

Written By

Enda O’Mahony & Finn Delaney

EACHTRA
Archaeological Projects

CORK GALWAY
The Forge, Innishannon, Co. Cork Unit 10, Kilkerrin Park, Liosbain Industrial Estate, Galway
tel: 021 4701616 | web: www.eachtra.ie | email: info@eachtra.ie tel: 091 763673 | web: www.eachtra.ie | email: galway@eachtra.ie

© Eachtra Archaeological Projects 2010
The Forge, Innishannon, Co Cork

Set in 12pt Garamond
Printed in Ireland

Table of Contents
Summary��iii
Acknowledgements�� iv
1 Introduction �� 1
2 Background to the scheme �� 1
3 Topography, geology and hydrology �� 1
4 Historical background �� 4
5 Site description �� 4
6 Methodology �� 6
7 Results of excavation �� 6
7�1 Naturaldeposits�� 6
7�2 Thewell�� 6
7�3 Ditchfeatures�� 8
7�4 Stonedeposit��10
8 Conclusion �� 10
9 References �� 11

i

List of Figures
Figure 1: Discovery series OS map showing the route of the new N18 Oranmore to Gort road
and the location of all the excavation sites� The excavation site at Caherweelder
4 is highlighted� �� 2
Figure 2: The route of the new N18 Oranmore to Gort road overlaid on the first edition OS
map (Sheet GA103)� The excavation site at Caherweelder 4 is also highlighted� �� 3
Figure 3: The route of the new N18 Oranmore to Gort road overlaid on the 25 inch OS map
(Sheet GA103)� The excavation site at Caherweelder 4 is also highlighted� �� 5
Figure 4: The route of the new N18 Oranmore to Gort road overlaid on the RMP/SMR map
which is based on second edition OS map (Sheet GA103)� The excavation site at
Caherweelder 4 is also highlighted� �� 7
Figure 5: Post-excavation plan of the site� �� 9

List of Plates
Plate 1: Pre-excavation photograph of the site from the south-west� �� 6
Plate 2: Post-excavation photograph of the site from the south-east� �� 8

ii

Caherweelder 4-e3708 http://eachtra.ie/index.php/journal/e3708-caherweelder4-co-galway/

Summary
A well, marked on the Down Survey map from the 1650s was named as Peter’s Well on the
first edition Ordnance Survey map and was listed as a Recorded Monument (GA103:084).
Local information suggests that the well was backfilled about 100 years ago and that a
nearby pool known as Toberawoneen Pool was deepened and widened by machine and
replaced it as the local well. The excavation revealed the location of the blocked up well
which was identified by the remains of a stone revetment which enclosed it. A number of
ditches and the possible remains of a hard standing were also identified.

Townland Caherweelder
Parish Kileely
Barony Kiltartan
County Galway
Ministerial Order Number A045
E Number E3708
OS Map Sheet GA103
National Grid Reference 144600/216361
Elevation 25.8 m OD
Site Type Well

iii

iSSUe 8: eaChtra JoUrnal - iSSn 2009-2237 Final arChaeologiCal exCavation report

Acknowledgements
The excavation director was Enda O’Mahony and the site supervisors were Mike Duf-
fin and Ewellina Chrobak. The field crew included Thomas Conway, Cecelia Falkendal,
Anna Marciniak, Mirek Mazurek, Anna Okoniewska, Izabela Polchlopek and Elaine
Roche. The senior archaeologist was Finn Delaney and the post-excavation manager was
Jacinta Kiely. Choryna Kiely, Fillip Debniak and Fiona Greene were involved with the
administration of the project. Illustrations are by Ben Blakeman and Maurizio Toscano.
Specialist analysis was carried out by Margaret McCarthy, Tim Young, Farina Sternke,
Mary Dillon and the 14 Chrono Centre at Queen’s University Belfast. Joseph O’Brien
was the resident engineer for consultant engineers Hyder Tobins. The project was com-
missioned by Galway County Council and was funded by the National Roads Authority.
The Project Archaeologist was Jerry O’Sullivan.

iv


1 Introduction
This report constitutes the final excavation report of a recorded (GA103:084) well in the
townland of Caherweelder, Co. Galway (Fig 1). The site was excavated as part of the
archaeological excavation programme in advance of construction for N18 Gort to Oran-
more road scheme. The site was located within the lands acquired for the scheme and was
identified during the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and was subject to archae-
ological testing at Phase 1 (E3708) which identified the remains of the backfilled well.

2 Background to the scheme
The N18 Oranmore to Gort (Glenbrack to Rathmorrissey) national road scheme was
approved by An Bórd Pleanála on 7 June 2007. The development will consist of approxi-
mately 27 km of dual carriageway, and all associated works. The area of archaeological
investigations lies within the footprint of the proposed scheme as defined by the Com-
pulsory Purchase Order (CPO) published by Galway County Council on 1 August 2006.
Eachtra Archaeological Projects was commissioned by Galway County Council and the
National Roads Authority to undertake Phase 1 archaeological testing and Phase 2 exca-
vation of sites directly impacted by the proposed development.

3 Topography, geology and hydrology
The underlying geology in the surrounding area is Carboniferous limestone of the Burren
and Tubber formations bordered by Namurian shales and sandstones to the west, in Co.
Clare and Devonian old red sandstone to the east, in the Slieve Aughty uplands. Glacial
till overlies the bedrock to varying depths (0–5 m) and the soils derived from the till are
generally deep well drained brown earths. The topsoils are characteristically deep and dry
and, enriched by the limestone parent material, support moderately good grass pastures.
There are boulder fields and expanses of bedrock exposure typical of karst limestone
country.
Turloughs and swallow-holes are features of areas with an underlying limestone bed-
rock which enables the ground water and water table to produce sometimes perplexing
drainage systems. A turlough is shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of the
area directly to the east of the excavation site (Fig 2). The turlough appears to be fed by
a spring marked as ‘Toberawoneen pool’. Water features appear to be a characteristic of
the surrounding landscape as a well marked as ‘William Connolly’s well’ is shown to the
east of the turlough. A small spring to the south of the townland in close proximity to
the lands acquired for the scheme is marked as ‘Pollbaun’. The second edition six inch
and 25 inch Ordnance Survey maps show a drain/stream running east from the site of
‘Connolly’s Well’(Fig 3 and 4). The land commission subsequently excavated a deep field
drain further to the south re-directing the earlier drain. This recent drain runs just to the
north of the excavation area.

1


135000 142500 150000

Derrydonnell More
Coldwood E3867
225600

225600
E3887

Moyveela 3
Moyveela 2
E3907
E3884

Moyveela 1
Ballinillaun 2 E3883
E3886

Ballinillaun 1
E3888

Lavally
E3869

Roevehagh 2
E4012 Roevehagh 1
E3885

Caherweelder 7
Caherweelder 6 E3826
E3871

Caherweelder 5
E3708

Caherweelder 3
E3890

Caherweelder 1
E3880
214400

214400
Owenbristy
E3770

Drumharsna North
E3868

Drumharsna South
E3872

Cullenagh More
E3881

Ballyglass West
E3870
203200

203200

Caherweelder 4

¢
135000 142500 150000
0 5 10
CPO line Excavation Areas
Kilometres
Figure 1: Discovery series OS map showing the route of the new N18 Oranmore to Gort road and the location of all the
excavation sites� The excavation site at Caherweelder 4 is highlighted�
2


144000 145000

RINN (ED KILLEELY)
217105

217105
BALLYNASTAIG (DUNKELLIN BY)
BALLYNABUCKY (DUNKELLIN BY)

CAHERPEAK EAST
CAHERWEELDER

KILTIERNAN EAST

KILTIERNAN EAST
215710

215710

CARANAVOODAUN
Caherweelder 4

¢
144000
CARANAVOODAUN 145000

0 0.25 0.5
Kilometres
Figure 2: The route of the new N18 Oranmore to Gort road overlaid on the first edition OS map (Sheet GA103)� The
excavation site at Caherweelder 4 is also highlighted�
3


4 Historical background
The townland name Caherweelder derives from the Irish Cathair Mhaoilir. The first part
of the placename is easily resolved as stemming from caher or a ‘stone fort’ and the first
edition Ordnance Survey map illustrates and names a stone fort as ‘Caherweelder’ at
the centre of the townland. The second part of the placename Maoilir is less apparent. It
could refer to a family name such as ‘Mulder’ which would translate as ‘Mulder’s stone
fort’. Maoil in Irish means to overflow and could be related to the turlough at the centre
of the townland. Another possibility is that it derives from Maethail meaning ‘soft land’
which would be equally apt or Maol meaning bald, as in bald/dilapidated structure (roof-
less), land or even bald (hornless) cattle (Joyce 1913 Vol I, 395).
The well is named on early edition Ordnance Survey maps as ‘Peter’s Well’. A well
is marked in approximately this location on the Down survey map from the mid 1650s.
The origins and customs of the well are not known and there is no record of its use as a
holy well. Surveyors from UCG were unable to locate the well during a survey in 1982,
but it was evident when inspected for the EIA (O’Sullivan 2006 and UCG 1997). It was
identified as several large stones and numerous smaller ones forming a roughly circular
arrangement around a wet hollow overgrown by briars and furze. According to local
landowner, Mr. Pádraig Greaney, ‘the well was blocked up after a boy was drowned there
about 100 years ago’. He also stated that the watering-rights for the well were shared by
several communities, and subsequently transferred to an adjacent machine-cut pond (still
extant) when the well was backfilled. Mr. Greaney also said deep machine-cut drains
were dug on these lands in the 1980s.

5 Site description
The excavated site is located towards the northern end of Caherweelder townland (NGR
144600/216361) (Fig 1 – 5). It lies just to the south of Turloughtrasna cross roads. There
are good views from the site to the east and south but a low hill blocks views to the north
and west (Plate 1). The area is used as rough pasture land for grazing cattle and is divided
by deep drainage ditches lined with post and wire fences.
The excavation area lies to the south of a low, gorse covered, hill on the western edge
of a turlough. The site is located adjacent to a deep drainage ditch which runs east-west
to the north of the excavation area. The modern field drain was designed to re-direct the
naturally occurring stream that originally ran from east to west 150 m north of the site.
The site was identified by several large stones and numerous smaller ones which formed a
roughly circular arrangement around a wet hollow overgrown by briars and furze.

4


143880 144960
217000

217000
216000

216000

Caherweelder 4

¢
143880 144960

0 0.25 0.5
Kilometres
Figure 3: The route of the new N18 Oranmore to Gort road overlaid on the 25 inch OS map (Sheet GA103)� The excava-
tion site at Caherweelder 4 is also highlighted�
5


Plate 1: Pre-excavation photograph of the site from the south-west�

6 Methodology
An area measuring 144 sq m was stripped of sod and topsoil by hand. The site was then
subjected to an intensive hand clean. The burnt mound was fully excavated by hand
and recorded using the single-context recording system with plans and sections being
produced at a scale of 1:20 or 1:10 as appropriate. A complete photographic record was
maintained throughout the excavation.

7 Results of excavation

7.1 Natural deposits
The topsoil across the site had a maximum depth of 0.15 m and consisted of a mid-brown
peat (C.1) with no inclusions and the subsoil was a sterile orange-grey silty clay with no
inclusions.

7.2 The well
The well (C.15) was sub-circular in plan and measured 2.5 m x 2 m and had a depth of 1.3
m. The well was framed to the north and west by five large boulders up to 1 m in length

6


144000 145000
216900

216900
215800

215800

Caherweelder 4

¢
144000 145000

FULACHT FIADH RINGFORT - CASHEL WELL
CPO LINE 0 0.25 0.5
EARTHWORK RINGFORT - RATH HOLY WELL
Kilometres
EXCAVATION AREA
Figure 4: The route of the new N18 Oranmore to Gort road overlaid on the RMP/SMR map which is based on second
SOUTERRAIN SETTLEMENT CLUSTER

edition OS map (Sheet GA103)� The excavation site at Caherweelder 4 is also highlighted�
7


Plate 2: Post-excavation photograph of the site from the south-east�

and sub angular in shape which were partly set into the natural subsoil (Plate 2). The up-
per fill of the well consisted of large limestone boulders of up to 1 m in length. A plastic
mid brown peat (C.10) underlay the upper stone deposit (C.5). The base of the well was
filled with a shallow deposit of light greenish grey sandy silt (C.11).
A line of stones was located 1 m outside the inner larger stones to the south and east.
They were located along a slight break in slope which fell away from this point towards
the well. There was only one dry stone course surviving however collapsed stones were
identified on either side. The stones ranged in size from 0.10 m to 0.25 m and were ir-
regular in shape.
The well had been deliberately backfilled with large limestone blocks which may have
originally derived from both the inner stone surround and the outer line of enclosing
stones.

7.3 Ditch features
A shallow linear north-south running ditch (C.13), possibly used to divert excess water
from the well into the turlough was located just to the north. The ditch contained, a mid-
grey silty clay (C.12) with frequent coarse pebbles, occasional medium-sized stones, and
had a maximum depth of 0.28 m.

8


144589 144597

±

13
216399

216399
9

6 15

4
216391

216391

0 5m
144589 144597

Figure 5: Post-excavation plan of the site�

9


A linear north-south running ditch (C.9) which may have formed the eastern extent
of a pathway that is marked on the first edition map was located 3 m to the west of the
well. This ditch contained two fills. The upper fill (C.7) was a mid-brown peat, similar to
the topsoil (C.1) and had a maximum depth of 0.22 m. The lower fill (C.8) was a light
grey sandy silt alluvium deposit, with a maximum depth of 0.1 m.

7.4 Stone deposit
A deposit of light grey/blue stones and pebbles (C.6) measuring 12 m x 6 m was located
on the western fringes of the well and may have acted as hard standing associated with
the use of the well.

8 Conclusion
The well appears to have been a very simple structure and nothing was found to expand or
contradict the historical information gleaned from the landowner, Mr Greaney. The well
was identified on the Down Survey map from the 1650s and was in use up to 100 yeas
ago. The well bears the name Peter’s well but has no known religious associations. It is one
of a number of wells in Caherweelder townland with Toberawoneen Pool located to the
north and William Connolloy’s well to the north-west. A small spring named Pollbaun
is located to the south. These small functional wells are a feature of the south Galway
landscape. Another well was excavated at Ballyglass West in association with a Bronze
Age burnt mound during the course of the current project. The well at Caherweelder is
also located close to a number of burnt mound sites (Caherweelder 1, 2, 3 5 and 6). This
association reflects the valuable commodity that is a reliable water source across all time
periods.

10


9 References
DEHLG [undated] Sites Monuments Record [= archive and database of information
on archaeological sites monuments]. Department of Environment, Heritage
Local Government.

Joyce, P W 1867–1913 Names of Irish Places, 3 vols. London Dublin.

O’Sullivan, J 2006 ‘Archaeological Heritage,’ In Galway County Council Environmental
Impact Statement for N18 Oranmore to Gort National Road Scheme.

UCG OPW 1997 Sites Monuments in County Galway [= statutory Record of
Monuments Places maps and handlists]. University College Galway for the
Office of Public Works.

11

Archaeological Report - Caherweelder 4 , Co. Galway (Ireland)

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