County: Mayo Site name: Various townlands
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 07E0040
Author: Bernard Guinan, Coosan, Athlone, Co. Westmeath.
Site type: Testing; fulachta fiadh
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 475498m, N 774588m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.706127, -9.885770
The Mayo group water schemes, design build and operate (DBO) Bundle 2 Advance Works 1 and 2 project involves pipe laying, reservoir and treatment works construction on 23 group water supply schemes covering a large area in central County Mayo. The project involved works in a large number of townlands in the following parishes: Kilgeever, Kildacommoge, Kilmaclasser, Islandeady, Crossmolina, Addergoole, Kilbeagh, Kilmeena and Kilasser. Works took place in road verge, within roads and in field.
The total length of pipe laid on the project was c. 145km. Works impacted on the zone of archaeological constraint of 24 known monuments. For each of these sites a proposed archaeological mitigation was agreed with the statutory authorities.
A total of twelve previously unrecorded fulachta fiadh were found during monitoring on the project. These were identified in the following townlands: Cloonty, 75521 274570; Clooncanavan, 103411 288608; Knockmuirnard, 102764 288012; Gortnaclassagh, 102384 290030; Brockagh, 101862 291240; Kiltyroe, 100165 290447; Knockglass, 102692 291867; Island More, 110228 310879; Clochbrack, 113534 308021; Fauleens, 98290 296530; Carrownaclea, 102330 286217; Drumindoo, 102300 285080.
When these fulachta fiadh were encountered they were recorded within the pipe trench and their position mapped. Where possible the pipeline was diverted. Samples were taken for radiocarbon dating and any exposed deposits were covered with terram and preserved in situ prior to the pipe trench being reinstated.
