2007:1240 - Lecarrowkilleen, Mayo

In late October 2005, Mayo County Council were engaged in works to widen an existing regional road (R334) in order to realign a dangerous Y-junction in the townland of Lecarrowkilleen, The Neale, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo. As the roadworks were under 1km in length, they were not required to be submitted under Part 8 of the planning regulations 2001. As a consequence of this, these works were not the subject of archaeological conditions or an assessment. The route selected for the road realignment impacted on the area of archaeological constraint of MA121–002, a standing stone.
Excavation initially focused on the western side of the road where a total of 231 burials, the majority of which were orientated east–west, were excavated (see Excavations 2005, No 1127 and Excavations 2006, No. 1465). A variety of finds were uncovered including animal bones, metal objects including a number of possible shroud-pin fragments, six glass beads (five blue and one white), a fragment of a stone bracelet, a number of lithic artefacts, clay-pipe fragments, some possible iron slag and a decorated quernstone fragment. Radiocarbon analysis will establish a dating sequence for activity at the site but, based on material recovered, an early medieval date is indicated. Post-excavation analysis is currently ongoing and the human remains are being prepared for osteoarchaeological analysis.
Following the completion of excavation on the western side of the R334 a section of ground disturbed by construction works on the eastern side of the R334 was cleaned and investigated. This area formed the undifferentiated boundary between the realigned R334 and the site of two newly constructed houses and lay within the garden of the southernmost house. The construction of these houses had been subject to a programme of testing by Billy Quinn of the Moore Group (Excavations 2005, No. 1004, 05E1001).
Along the margins of the R334 the author identified grave-cuts and burials immediately beneath the sod line as well as the upper levels of a possible circular ditch. Some of these burials were truncated by Mayo County Council’s road realignment works. In addition the area was disturbed by Eircom fibre optic cable ducting and the construction of a manhole.
Mayo County Council have currently postponed further works on this section of the R334 and archaeological investigations have stopped. Construction works remaining to be completed here include the construction of a suitable road margin and the erection of a boundary wall between the road and the private houses. No plans for the resumption of this work have yet been prepared by Mayo County Council.
All exposed archaeological deposits have been temporarily secured in situ pending a resumption of works. A retaining wooden casing/revetment has been constructed around the area of archaeological interest. The archaeological area was then covered with terram and backfilled with topsoil.