County: Mayo Site name: FALLMORE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 03E0197
Author: Billy Quinn, Moore Archaeological & Environmental Services Ltd.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 463807m, N 818362m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.096301, -10.082205
Monitoring was carried out at Fallmore, Belmullet, Co. Mayo, on 21 February 2003. The proposed development involved the construction of a dwelling-house with septic tank, percolation area and access way. The development is to the immediate west of SMR 33:1, the remains of St Dairbhile's Church and graveyard. The site, although within the zone of archaeological potential for the monument, is at a much lower elevation and there were no above-ground features of interest noted on the initial site visit.
The footprint of the house, surrounding footpath, access and percolation area was dug down to natural deposits. The stratigraphy was uniform, consisting of a thin layer of sod and topsoil, 0.15m in depth, overlying a grey/brown compact sand. The site was dug to a maximum depth of 0.6m to the north and an average 0.35m to the south and south-west. Outcrops of granite were found to the north-west of the proposed house, with occasional inclusions of beach-rolled stones elsewhere. The only artificial feature consisted of a field drain found to the north-east, exposed at a depth of 0.55m below ground level. It was approximately 0.3m wide by 0.55m long. It was backfilled with beach stones. A single sherd of tableware was retrieved from beneath the topsoil at the entrance to the site. No other finds or features of archaeological significance were uncovered.
Corporate House, Ballybrit Business Park, Ballybrit, Galway
