County: Mayo Site name: GORTAROE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 01E0650
Author: Richard Gillespie
Site type: Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 500244m, N 785191m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.806680, -9.514551
These sites were discovered during topsoil removal for the Westport Main Drainage and Waste Water Disposal Scheme. Four concentrations of burnt stone and charcoal, typical fulacht fiadh material, were identified. One of the areas, Area 4, has been excavated to date. The upper levels of Areas 1–3 have been exposed and the possibility of preserving them in situ is currently being considered.
Area 1 is a spread of burnt stone, roughly oval in plan, measuring 4m by 3m. This is the extent of the mound/spread exposed. It could extend further at a lower level.
Area 2 is a spread of burnt stone, irregular in plan, measuring 6m by 4m. This is the extent of the mound/spread exposed. It could extend further at a lower level.
Area 3 is a substantial mound of burnt stone which is circular in plan and has a diameter of c. 11m. It could extend further at a lower level.
In Area 4 the burnt mound was irregular in plan with a 4m by 5m by 0.1m-thick spread of burnt stone. A certain amount of disturbance had taken place. Aside from the spread of burnt stones, the only feature of interest was a roughly rectangular arrangement of horizontal timbers which may have been the base of a wood-lined trough or a platform. It was comprised of fifteen timbers with nineteen very rough cut ends. The tool-marks on these timbers were quite different to those preserved in nearby Attireesh (see No. 884, Excavations). This may indicate a different type of axe or different species of timber.
Westport Road, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
