County: Mayo Site name: Oweninny Bog
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 20E0620
Author: Christina O'Regan & Fergal Murtagh
Site type: Monitoring
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 501251m, N 823231m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.148580, -9.511590
Archaeological monitoring of groundworks associated with Site Investigation works were carried out as part of a wind farm development located in Oweninny Bog, Co. Mayo.
Monitoring was undertaken intermittently, between 17 to 23 November 2020, from 25 to 28 May, 16 June and 13 September 2021. A total of 83 Trial Pits were excavated under archaeological supervision.
Based on the results of the 2003 Bord na Móna peatlands survey and the relatively small size of the pits (3–5m long and 1.1m wide), it was not anticipated that finds or features of archaeological interest would be encountered. However, Trial Pit 37 revealed a single worked end (a piece of wood with toolmarks) in a slightly raised portion of the bog (AA1). The worked end was found just below the surface of the peat in an area that had never been in production by Bord na Móna on the north-east edge of the marshy lake. This single worked end may represent an isolated stray find but may be part of a larger structure located on a slightly raised portion of the bog.
A small potential for more archaeology does exist in this area despite a concentration of nearby trial pits which produced no archaeological evidence.
c/o IAC Archaeology, Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
