2021:731 - Drumneen, Mayo

The author was commissioned by Wills Bros. Ltd. to undertake a programme of archaeological testing of the site of a proposed External Deposition Area (EDA06a) at Drumneen Townland, Co. Mayo.

Testing was carried out on 9-10 March 2021 using a 20-tonne backhoe excavator with a 2m-wide grading bucket. In total 10 test trenches were excavated across the EDA, in wet and windy condition. Testing confirmed the presence of a fulacht fiadh originally identified by the author in June 2020 during a field survey located in the south-east corner of the field. Elsewhere the ground was a mix of compact clay and bog over bedrock. A stone feature (CHS2) was originally noted in an earlier Archaeological Assessment prepared by the author (June 2020) as a potential wedge tomb.

The EDA is a roughly sub-rectangular field orientated west-south-west/east-north-east bounded variously by a relatively straight fence, treeline and ditch to the north, a fence and ditch to the south and low stone wall and hedge line to the west. To the east is a meandering steam dividing Drumneen from the adjoining townland, Dooleauge.

The topography of the site rises from west to east over the summit of drumlin ridge (67m OD) and falls steeply to boggier ground near the stream. There is a lower hillock to the north-east of the site that, based on historic mapping, was formerly the site of a small lime kiln.

Internally, much of the site's former boundaries have been cleared away, a stone wall survives at the top of the ridge running north-north-west/south-south-east and relict boundaries are found to the south.

Prior to testing, based on previous archaeological field work, there were two designated archaeological exclusion zones proscribed within the EDA. The eastern zone was to the immediate north of Drumneen 2 (E004729). Drumneen 2, within the N5 road corridor, was investigated by Joe Nunan in 2016 and contained a series of features including a cremation pit, charcoal spreads, post-holes/pits and linear features with finds of worked flint and pottery sherds. It was noted that:

‘the entire site appears to have a ritual function with the four-post structure representing a large platform with the cremation pit located adjacent to it. Outside the road-take (to the north) the plateau is quite evident in an oval shape and it is highly likely that significant deposits and features are located here.’

The second exclusion zone was identified by the author during a field assessment in 2020. The location of two features was noted, a potential fulacht fiadh in the south-east corner of the EDA and a nearby stone feature under a stand of trees at the head of a drain. The fulacht fiadh site was evident as a firm, grassy mound standing proud of the boggier land to the north and east.  The stone feature along the line of a relict stone wall was conspicuous as having an upper capstone on base stones.

The original proposed testing programme was reduced at the request of of the client as they will not be utilising the very western area as a topsoil storage area due to wet and slippery ground conditions on the slope that made safe access hazardous. In total ten trenches were excavated.

The stratigraphy varied relative to the ground conditions; on the slope, the higher drier ground had sod and topsoil over grey-brown gravelly boulder clay. In the bog, under the rush-strewn surface, the peat varied in depth from 350mm to 1m deep over a white/grey boulder clay with frequent stones.

The field had been improved as evidenced by the presence of clay pipe and modern plastic drains.

The only features of note were as identified in the original archaeological assessment (June 2020), CHS 1 and 2, a potential fulacht fiadh and a stone feature, both found along the southern range, near the road corridor.

CHS 1

Testing at the eastern terminal of Trench 1, near the fulacht fiadh site, exposed burnt mound material under the sod, confirming its original interpretation. This layer of fire-shattered, angular stone fragments in a black soil matrix peters out to the north thus marking its northern extent.  In total the sub-circular mound, with a central linear hollow, measures 14.4m north-south by 15m. The core of the feature appears intact, but its southern and eastern edge have been cut by drainage works.

CHS 2

The stone feature located under a small tree copse, along the line of a relict field wall was noted originally as a possible wedge tomb but may represent more modern rock clearance.

The feature measures approximately 2.6m in width by 960mm high and has several base stones topped with a large boulder.

 

 

 

 

3 Gort na Rí, Athenry, Co. Galway