2025:430 - Lisdurraun, Mayo

The test excavation of a site in advance of its development in Lisdurraun townland, 3.5km west of Swinford in County Mayo, was carried out on 3 April 2025. The development consisted of alterations and an extension to a dwelling house. The testing was undertaken as part of the planning process and was necessary due to the proposed development being located within the constraint for an enclosure (RMP No. MA061-130).

The proposed development site consisted of a gently undulating field of pasture with a 20th-century cottage located at its north north-west end. No features of archaeological significance were visible within the proposed development site.  There was no visible surface evidence of the enclosure, which appears to have been located in the site adjacent to the east north-east of the proposed development site.

The testing consisted of the excavation of four test trenches, located to best cover the area of the proposed development that was accessible, in particular the east north-eastern side of the site which was closest to the recorded monument. The trenches measured 20.1m, 33.9m, 15.3m and 5.1m long respectively; 1.5-1.7m wide and 0.4-0.8m deep.

The pre-development testing revealed topsoil above natural subsoils in all four test trenches. One modern artefact was recovered from the topsoil in one of the test trenches. An 80mm diameter water service crossed another trench, at 0.75m below the surface. Nothing of archaeological significance was in evidence.