County: Mayo Site name: Cushlough Group Water Scheme
Sites and Monuments Record No.: - Licence number: 06E0766
Author: Bernard Guinan, Coosan, Athlone, Co. Westmeath.
Site type: Monitoring
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 598951m, N 777187m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.744321, -8.015897
The Cushlough group water supply scheme involved pipelaying between Carrowkennedy and Knappagh, near Westport, Co. Mayo. This licence was obtained to test any potential archaeological remains encountered during monitoring of groundworks associated with the scheme (c. 32km long). Pipeline was laid within rough upland pastureland, tracts of marsh and bog, existing roadway and roadside verge. Four monuments, a togher in Boheh (MA097–005), a standing stone (possible) (MA098–029) and earthwork (MA098–019) in Lanmore, and enclosure(s) in Keelkill (MA098–024), impacted on by the scheme were mitigated by diverting the pipeline away from the sites.
Two fulachta fiadh were found during monitoring. One was found in a narrow pipe trench in road verge alongside the N59 (Westport to Clifden road) in Derryilra townland c. 0.2m under the ground surface (197154 271489). The visible deposit of burnt sandstone and charcoal matrix measured 4.45m in length and a maximum depth of 0.36m. This site is likely to extend under the N59. The second site was found at c. 158m OD in Lanmore townland (198768 277385) on the slope of a hill east of Liscarney village. The site was located under 0.16m of sod and topsoil. The visible deposit of burnt sandstone and charcoal matrix measured 6.03m in length with a maximum depth of 0.81m.
Samples of the archaeological deposits, including wood from a possible trough, were taken for radiocarbon dating and archaeobotanical analysis. A shilling dated 1924 from the reign of George V (1910–1936) was found in topsoil at the site.
Both fulachta fiadh were preserved in situ by covering exposed deposits with geotextile/terram prior to the ground being reinstated.
