2025:745 - Letterfrack, Galway

The proposed development was a joint initiative between the National Parks and Wildlife Services and Fáilte Ireland to further develop and expand, upgrade and enhance the existing trail system within the Connemara National Park Complex. Phase 1 was undertaken this year and consisted of the development of new trails on low hilly ground to the south and west of the National Park Visitor Centre. The majority of the land had been used agriculturally by Letterfrack Industrial School which was in use between 1887 and 1974. The nearest known monument is 140m uphill to south and comprises a court tomb (GA023-020—-) while a 3m-wide trackway running north-west/south-east across part of the site represents part of an old roadway which predates the existing main road. Traces of ancient forestry stumps survive on damp ground uphill from the new trails. No archaeology turned up from monitoring of the ground works and all finds appear modern in date including three iron implements and/or parts of farm machinery associated with the nearby Industrial School.