2009:598 - CARROWBEG/SWINEFORD, Mayo

Testing was carried out on 20 and 21 May 2009 at a proposed development site at Carrowbeg and Swineford townlands in Swinford, Co. Mayo. It was proposed to develop a plot of land to provide car-parking adjacent to Our Lady Help of Christians Church with access road, drainage, public lighting, site works, services and boundaries. Testing was required as the proposed development was located within the constraint for an enclosure. There were no visible surface remains of the monument, which was marked on the first-edition OS 6-inch sheet dating from 1838, but which had disappeared by the time of the second-edition OS 25-inch sheet dating from 1899–1913. The proposed carpark appeared to be located on the site of the centre and southern half of the enclosure.
The proposed development site consisted of a small field of pasture, which sloped from the north, centre and east, down to the west and south. Immediately north of the site was a burial-ground associated with a nearby convent, while the church was located immediately east. A Parochial House was located to the south of the site. A concrete path ran along the eastern, southern and most of the northern site boundaries, while a grassed-over path ran along the western site boundary.
Testing consisted of the excavation of four trenches, located to best cover the area of the site with a view to uncovering any surviving subsurface remains of the monument. The trenches measured 60m, 18m, 22.8m and 17.7m long respectively, 1.2–1.4m wide and 0.25–2m deep.
Two sections of the enclosing element of the monument were uncovered, near the north-west corner and east of centre along the northern side of the site. A possible ditch feature was also uncovered along the eastern side of the site. The two sections of the enclosing bank measured 1.4–2.3m wide, 0.1–0.15m in internal height and 0.4–0.5m in external height. No evidence of an enclosing ditch was uncovered nor evidence of any internal features. No evidence of a ditch could indicate that this was a platform-type enclosure which made use of a natural rise with steep drops in ground levels on all sides. These drops in ground level are still visible to the west, south and north. The area to the east was probably levelled up during construction of the adjacent church. There is no doubt that the monument was levelled sometime between 1838 and 1913, probably in conjunction with the construction of the adjacent church and/or convent. Unfortunately, no artefacts were recovered from the fill of the possible ditch, which was located outside the enclosure. The ditch measured 2.6m wide and 0.35–0.5m deep.