2022:485 - Off Lower James Street, Claremorris, Mayo

The test excavation of a site in advance of its development off Lower James Street in Claremorris, County Mayo, was carried out on 21 and 22 April 2022. The project consisted of the construction of a 25-unit housing development. The testing was requested by the local authority as part of the planning process and was necessary due to the size and scale of the proposed development.
The proposed development site comprised a field of pasture, bounded to the east and west by disused railway lines and by a modern housing development to the south-west. Claremorris Railway Station was located a short distance away to the north-west. Two man-hole covers, located near the northern site boundary and along the south-western boundary, were surface evidence of the town sewer which ran through the western side of the site.
No features of archaeological significance were visible within or in the immediate vicinity of the proposed development site. There were no recorded monuments within or in the immediate vicinity of the proposed development site with the nearest monument, a crannóg (RMP No. MA101-092), located 300m away.
The testing consisted of the excavation of two trenches, located to best cover the area of the proposed development, while avoiding the line of the public sewer. The trenches measured 189.7m and 115.5m long, 1.5-1.7m wide and 0.4-1.7m deep. The spoil from each trench was carefully inspected during the testing.
The pre-development testing revealed topsoil above fill and natural subsoils. The modern fill was associated with the adjacent housing development and the town sewer which ran along the northern and western sides of the proposed development site. Only modern artefacts were revealed. Nothing of archaeological significance was in evidence.

4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, County Mayo