County: Mayo Site name: Cornoroya, Ballinrobe
Sites and Monuments Record No.: MA118–022 Licence number: 08E0776
Author: Bernard Guinan, Coosan, Athlone, Co. Westmeath.
Site type: Graveyard
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 519223m, N 764403m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.623212, -9.221050
Testing took place within the grounds of a branch of Mayo County Library in Ballinrobe town (MA118–022) in advance of the proposed installation of ducting and lighting within the grounds of the library. The library occupies a former church, St Mary’s Church (Church of Ireland), which was built in 1840. It functioned as a place of worship until 1996 when Mayo County Council converted the building into a public library.
In 2007 a programme of testing was conducted within the grounds of the library in advance of the construction of a proposed eight-bay carpark. That test area was located 3m west of the current proposed ducting and lighting line. Two hand-excavated trenches revealed in situ human remains beneath a layer of modern disturbance. These burials were preserved in situ and the planned carpark was abandoned (Excavations 2007, No. 1218, 07E0043).
The testing methodology in advance of the ducting and lighting line was to excavate four 15m-long by 0.5m-wide machine-cut trenches (I–IV), along the eastern verge of the existing metalled entrance and driveway to the library. This driveway was constructed through the graveyard in the 1960s. Trenches I, II and III were laid out north–south at 15m intervals. Trench IV was laid out east–west 15m west of Trench III.
Work commenced at the southern end of Trench I at the entrance to the library from Church Lane. The test area was lined with mature sycamore and ash trees and the upper levels of the topsoil were characterised by interwoven lateral roots. Within the topsoil was a range of modern detritus, indicating a degree of disturbance. Also noted were occasional fragments of disarticulated bone. At the junction of the topsoil and boulder clay five in situ grave-cuts were identified c. 0.6m below the surface of the driveway.
Following the positive identification of formal burials testing was concluded. The identified grave-cuts were preserved in situ. The trench was lined with terram, backfilled with soil and reinstated. A sample of bone was taken for radiocarbon dating. Due to the presence of in situ burials, Mayo County Council have suspended plans to install lighting and ducts at this location as originally planned.
