What is recorded here

An ancient clay urn appeared in a Tuam garden, vanished before keeping, and the mound itself became a supermarket car park. The chair, castle and buried jar still whisper beneath modern wheels, proving that progress often eats memory rather than revealing it.

In the centre of Tuam town (GA029-199----); formerly situated in a garden at the rear of the old Bank of Ireland premises on E side of Shop St., the site is now occupied by a supermarket car park. According to a strong local tradition, 'an ancient clay burial urn' was found here in the late 19th or early 20th C but was subsequently lost or disintegrated (Ó Murchú 1970, 7; Waldron 1973). The discovery was made while digging into what is variously described as a 'burial mound', 'tumulus' or 'cairn' (ibid.). According to one account (Ó Murchú 1970, 7), the 'mound' was removed at the time of the discovery. In 1979, prior to the supermarket development, Rynne investigated a low 'stony mound' in NE corner of the garden (Topgr. Files, UCG). Irregular in plan (E-W c. 5m, N-S c. 2.5m), it wad surmounted by a tree. Excavation revealed that it was 'merely a bit of 19th century garden landscaping' (ibid.). No trace survives. The 'mound' is strongly associated with 'The Chair of Tuam' (GA029-172----) and also lies on or close to the site of a castle (GA029-173----). (Waddell 1990, 96) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.