M18 Gort - Crusheen Bypass Excavations Exhibition

Photo shows John McInerney of Clare Museum with some of the artefacts for the forthcoming exhibition.
Clare Museum is planning an exhibition of artefacts unearthed by archaeologists along the route of the recently opened M18 Gort - Crusheen road scheme. The excavations were carried out in accordance with the Directions issued to Galway County Council by the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government under Section 14A (2) of the National Monuments Acts 1930–2004. Excavations at twenty two sites were undertaken by archaeologists from Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd on behalf of Galway County Council and the National Roads Authority (NRA) in 2007 and 2008 prior to construction of the new roadway.

Following an inspection of the artefacts by staff at the National Museum of Ireland, a final list of objects suitable for exhibition was made and these objects have been delivered to the museum. Included among the artefacts are pottery, stone tools and axes dating from the Neolithic period and glass and amber beads, and a rare bone gaming piece, which date from the Iron Age period. The exhibition will be displayed in a specially designed exhibition space on the top floor of the building.

Public lectures on the types of archaeological sites recorded during these excavations are also planned for the New Year. The results of the archaeological excavations are to be published in the NRA Monograph Borderland: archaeological investigations along the route of the M18 Gort to Crusheen road scheme later in 2011. It is also intended that copies of the excavation final reports will be available in the archaeology section of the Clare library website in due course.
See also:
Archaeological Reports for the N18 Ennis Bypass and N85 Western Relief Road