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11. 



ON THE EXCAVATIONS^ OF A TUMULUS NEAR LOUGHREA, 

 CO. GAL WAY. 



By GEORGE COFFEY, M.R.LA. 



Head January 11. Ordered for publication January 13. Published 

 February 5, 1904. 



In October, 1903, I obtained permission to open a small tumulus near 

 Loughrea, Co. Galway. It is situated on the townland of Farta, 

 about half a mile to the west of Turoe House : Ordnance map, 6 inch, 

 sheet 97. The Rev. J. O'Donovan, Adm., Loughrea, procured the 

 consent of Colonel Daly, the owner of the land, and most kindly pro- 

 vided the labourers for the work. 



The mound measured 40 feet in diameter, and 9 feet in height. 

 Digging was begun at the east side, and continued inwards till the 

 centre was reached. In construction the tumulns consisted of stones 



and clay, with a sandy band of about eight to ten inches, which 

 followed the sectional outline of the mound at a depth of about one- 

 third down from the surface. 



As the digging proceeded, abundant remains of fire, charcoal, and 

 burnt clay were met with on the level of the old surface of the 

 ground, increasing as the centre was neared. 



On reaching the centre a female skeleton was found (fig. 1, a). It 

 lay east and west, with the head to the west, at a depth of foui' feet 

 from the top of the tumulus. The stones and clay of the upper part 

 of the mound lay directly on the bones ; little if any attempt had 

 been made to form a structure over the body ; and as the bones were 



