What is recorded here

Ten metres of drystone passage cut through the rath bank in County Mayo, emerging beneath a circular stone chamber at the centre. The tunnel still holds its roof in places, but collapse and soil have hidden much of its length. Whoever dug it wanted a route through solid earth, perhaps to keep warmth, conceal goods or reach the chamber without crossing open ground.

Located in a rath (MA072-014). A Man-made underground passage passage of drystone construction extends on a NE-SW axis through the SW quadrant of the rath. The passage terminates in the rath bank at SW where an in situ roof lintel is exposed in the eroded slope of the bank. From there, it extends for 10m on to NE to the centre of the rath. A section (L 2.2m; Wth 1.15m) of the passage remains intact close to the bank at SW, with drystone walls supporting large roof lintels. To N of this the passage appears to be partly collapsed and can be traced as a sod-covered, sunken linear feature (Wth 0.8-1m; D 0.6m). Midway along its length, there is a junction with a side passage, which branches of for 2m to NW and then turns to NNE for a further 2m. The side passage is evident at ground level as a shallow, sod-covered depression. The main NE–SW passage terminates roughly in the centre of the rath at a circular stone feature, which may be part of the Man-made underground passage or may be the remains of a house (MA072-014002-). Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 22 February 2021

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