Monumental structure in Galway Bay

This is one of three intertidal art installations (see also GA094-142---- and GA094-143----) that were constructed in the early 1990s along the shoreline in the inner reaches of Galway Bay, below the High Water Mark, c. 30m to the SE of the rock armour protecting the walkway around South Park in the Claddagh. It was designed by Martin Byrne and Padraig Conway as part of the 'Solas Atlantis Galway 1993' project (see www.carrowkeel.com/files/art/rubbings/index.html accessed 25 August 2015). The installation, clearly visible on aerial photographs (see http://binged.it/1LPr7Gj), is roughly subcircular in plan and is defined by two rings with a central core and various radial features between the rings. The inner ring (17.2m N-S; Wth 1.2m; H 0.05-0.3m) consists of large and small boulders arranged in a haphazard fashion. The larger boulders are embedded in the sand but the smaller ones are loose on the surface. No facing-stones are evident. The boulders are encrusted with barnacles and are completely obscured by seaweed. Immediately within the enclosing ring there is a clear band of sand varying in width from 2.8m at N to 6.5m at S. Roughly centrally placed is an amorphous scatter of boulders (5.5m N-S), similar to those in the enclosing ring and also covered with seaweed. The outer ring (c. 47m N-S) is visible from W to NNE as a spread of seaweed earthed to sandfast boulders. The radial features visible on the aerial photograph between the inner and outer rings are not clearly discernible on the ground. Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 25 August 2015