County: Mayo Site name: TOOREEN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: MA015-011 Licence number: 05E1323
Author: Richard Crumlish
Site type: Ringfort - rath
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 549658m, N 786881m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.828999, -8.764706
Pre-development testing was carried out between 29 November and 1 December 2005 at a site in advance of its development at Tooreen townland, Carrowmore, Lacken, Ballina, Co. Mayo. The proposed development, which consisted of the construction of a dwelling house, septic tank and percolation area, was located within the constraint area for a ringfort. It was granted planning permission in September 2004 with no reference to archaeology. A road which ran along the western site boundary bisected the monument and, while the extent of the ringfort was clearly visible to the west of the road, that section of the monument to the east and within the proposed development site was not clearly visible. The Department recommended that the proposed access road/driveway be moved to the north of the northern site boundary and its new location be tested. It also recommended that the percolation area be tested and positioned so as not to damage standing remains.
Three trenches were excavated to test the relocated access road/driveway, percolation area and septic tank. The trenches measured 20.7m, 13.2m and 17.5m long, 0.95–1.2m wide and 0.6–1.25m deep. The testing revealed two ditches in the trench excavated along the relocated access road/driveway. The first ditch, which measured 1m wide and 0.3m deep, was found along the west-south-west end of the trench and was a continuation of a shallow ditch visible on the surface in the field to the south, which ran along and parallel to the field boundary along the road. It appeared to be a modern feature. The second ditch was located 8.1m from the west-south-west end of the trench. It was orientated north-west/south-east and measured 1.8–2m wide and 0.4m deep. It was cut into the natural subsoil and filled with redeposited natural subsoil with occasional to moderate amounts of rocks. A third ditch was uncovered in the trench excavated between the proposed percolation area and the septic tank. It crossed the trench at 7.8m from its east end, was orientated north-north-east/south-south-west and measured 2.2–3.5m wide and 0.5–0.7m deep. It was cut into the natural subsoil and filled with redeposited natural with occasional to moderate amounts of small rocks.
The two latter features appeared to be the remains of the monument’s ditch, following the line of the ringfort, which must have extended across the road into this site. Though they differed in their dimensions, their fills were the same. No datable artefacts or organic material was recovered from either feature.
A decision on the proposed development was pending from the Department at the time of writing.
4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
