County: Mayo Site name: Aghadrinagh 5
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E004683
Author: Siobhán McNamara
Site type: Early medieval land clearance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 514371m, N 787896m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.833497, -9.300886
An area measuring 273m² was stripped of topsoil and excavated at Aghadrinagh 5 in advance of the construction of the N5 Westport to Turlough Road Project, which extends between the townlands of Westport Demesne and Liscromwell in County Mayo. This confirmed the presence of a deposit of dark brown silty clay with charcoal flecks and sandstone inclusions (F01). Only the northern portion of the deposit was excavated as the remainder extended southwards, outside the area of the proposed roadway, and will be preserved in situ. The deposit was very thin (0.05–0.1m) and an examination of four samples taken from it contained some burnt clay but very limited charcoal and no non-wood plant macro-remains. A 0.01g fragment of ash charcoal did, however, return a date of 985 ± 30 BP (Poz-99253), giving a 2-sigma calibrated date range of AD 994–1157, suggesting this deposit may date to the early medieval period.
A tree throw (F02) was identified underneath the south-western area of the deposit and five possible pits (F06, F07, F08, F10 & F21) were exposed below the eastern extent. These pits were sub-circular or oval in plan and ranged in size from 0.41m in length and 0.3m in width (F21) to 1.2m in length and 0.92m in width (F10), with depths of between 0.3m (F10) and 0.6m (F08). The irregular profiles of many of the pits, particularly F06 and F08, as well as their sterile fills, could suggest that these represent the remains of stone sockets, perhaps reflecting land clearance for agricultural purposes.
The early medieval date from Aghadrinagh 5 is broadly comparable with a date of cal. AD 1027–1166 on oak charcoal from a charcoal-rich spread at Aghadrinagh 1 (E004679), which was located 230m to the east-south-east and consisted of two charcoal-production pits. Another similarly dated site was uncovered approximately 900m to the east-north-east of Aghadrinagh 5 at Lisnageeha or Antigua 2 (E004736). This site comprised a north-west to south-east running ditch cut by a cereal-drying kiln, post- and stake-holes, with hazel charcoal from the fill of the kiln bowl returning a date of cal. AD 1167–1269 and ash charcoal from the fill of the fire pit returning a comparable date of AD 1175–1275. A further c. 300m to the north-east, at Lisnakirka or Milebush 1 (E004738), an isolated hearth containing alder charcoal returned a similar date of cal. AD 995–1158.
Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit, Unit 21 Boyne Business Park, Drogheda, Co. Louth
