County: Mayo Site name: RATHKELLY, Ballinrobe
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 118:21 Licence number: 00R0705
Author: Gerry Walsh
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 518371m, N 764911m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.627644, -9.234060
Pre-development testing was undertaken on the site of a proposed development in Rathkelly, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo. An enclosure is located within the proposed development site. A 15m buffer zone extending out from the outer edge of the enclosure is to be retained on the proposed development site. Three test-trenches were excavated with a machine in September 2000.
Trench 1 was 60m long x 2m. The sod/topsoil was 0.04–0.08m thick and directly overlay the natural bedrock and in places a light brown, natural boulder clay.
Trench 2 was also 60m x 2m. In the eastern half of the trench the sod/topsoil, 0.1m thick, directly overlay the natural broken bedrock In the western half the sod/topsoil, 0.2m thick, directly overlay a natural, orange boulder clay and in places broken bedrock.
Trench 3 measured 50m x 2m. In the northern end of the trench the sod/topsoil, 0.17m thick, directly overlay a natural, grey gravel and in places broken bedrock. Midway along the trench underlying the sod/topsoil 0.2m thick was a layer of modern rubble fill and topsoil up to 1.8m thick, which directly overlay the natural bedrock. At the southern end of the trench this modern fill layer was only 0.3m thick.
No archaeological features or small finds were recovered from any of the three test-trenches.
Rathbawn Road, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
