County: Mayo Site name: KILLYBRONE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 06E0971 ext.
Author: Sue Zajac, Ballina Civic Offices, Mayo County Council, Dillion Terrace, Ballina, Co. Mayo.
Site type: Circular house site, pits and linear feature
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 519368m, N 831306m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.224288, -9.236496
A second season of work took place during realignment of the R314 north-west of Killala town and excavation continued on a prominent hill overlooking Killala Bay (see Excavations 2006, No. 1462, for a report on the first season). Previously the base of a shallow S-shaped ditch or slot-trench had been uncovered curving for c. 40m across the road-take and containing a homogenous fill of charcoal and clay. It was seen to terminate at its southern end where it lay in close association with pits, post-holes and a circular house site. To the north the feature was seen continuing into the section face and running downhill off the line of the road-take.
During 2007 the circular house site was fully excavated. The house foundation was formed by a slot-trench and post-holes and had a projected diameter of 7.5m. Further pits and post-holes were discovered within the interior of the house and large quantities of seed were uncovered from the fills. Preliminary investigation has identified the seed as barley and wheat. Following radiocarbon dating the site is now viewed as an area of habitation dating to the middle to later Bronze Age. No further excavation is expected to take place.
