A double-chambered souterrain is discovered in the village of Carnmore to north east of Galway city.
Local man Michael Fox had been planning to build a new bungalow on the site when the chambers were discovered during excavation works. Michael Fox reported the discovery to the National Monuments branch of the Office of Public Works. As a result of the discovery, plans for the bungalow on the site have been dropped and Micahel Fox is to build his house some distance away.
The souterrain is believed to be about two thousand years old and has tentatively been dated as belonging to the period 100 BC to 100 AD.
The chamber is in a good state of preservation and has an intriguing obstruction trap, which is a feature of many of the souterrains found in other parts of County Galway. A narrow passage or creep hole links the two main chambers and is believed to have been used for defensive purposes if the site came under attack. The chambers are about six feet high and about 39 feet in length. Archaeologists are hoping to carry out further investigations on the site. While no artefacts were found in the souterrain, the site is still considered to be a very important discovery.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 24 March 1982. The reporter is Jim Fahy.
