County: Mayo Site name: CARROWMORE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 92:22 Licence number: 01E0752
Author: Bernard Guinan
Site type: Cairn
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 539051m, N 782620m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.789572, -8.924961
Testing in advance of pipe routeing and reservoir construction within the protected area of an earthwork took place in August 2001. This work was part of the Lough Mask Regional Water Supply Scheme Stage III (see No. 918, Excavations 2001, 01E0314). Three areas were tested.
In Area A, the pipeline and haul-road, an area 100m by 10m and c. 30m away from the monument, was tested mechanically. Topsoil and subsoil overlay a natural glacial gravel. Evidence of previous quarrying/gravel extraction in the area was noted.
In Area B, the reservoir construction area, an area c. 50m by 50m was tested mechanically. Topsoil and subsoil overlay a uniform sterile boulder clay and substantial glacial gravel deposits.
In Area C the central cairn, a small oval cairn of stones c. 4m (north–south) by 2m and 0.6m high, was tested by hand. The outer surface of the cairn was a grass mound crowned with large rocks. The body of the cairn contained smaller stones mixed with modern field detritus and topsoil. A substantial glacial erratic was found at the centre of the mound. The cairn was the result of field clearance, with the central boulder providing a focal point around which the stones were deposited. There was an absence of finds or features of archaeological importance.
Local information had suggested that the cairn marked the site of a children’s burial-ground. Archaeological evidence to support this suggestion was absent.
Coosan, Athlone, Co. Westmeath
