Carra is a barony of County Mayo, in the historical province of Connacht (Irish: Ceara), covering 594 km² of land. The barony records 955 NMS archaeological sites and 194 NIAH listed buildings, placing it at around the 40th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for sites per km². This means it is in the lower half of all baronies for sites per km². Dated archaeological evidence runs from the Neolithic through to the Modern, spanning 8 of 9 archaeological periods, placing the barony in the 68th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for chronological depth. This means it is in the top third of all baronies for chronological depth. The largest dated subset of recorded sites dates to the Early Medieval. Logainm flags 76 placenames in the barony as carrying a recognised heritage root; the largest share — around 51% — are names associated with pre-christian defensive.
Heritage at a glance
Percentile rankings throughout this profile compare each barony only against the other 279 Republic of Ireland baronies.
The recorded heritage of Carra
The National Monuments Service Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) is the statutory inventory of archaeological sites for the Republic of Ireland, maintained by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Sites recorded here include earthworks, ringforts, megalithic tombs, ecclesiastical remains, and post-medieval features; not every record is legally protected, but each is registered as a monument of archaeological interest.
The National Monuments Service records 955 archaeological sites in Carra, putting it at the 40th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for sites per km². This means it is in the lower half of all baronies for sites per km². Protection coverage is near-universal — 937 sites (98%) fall within a recorded monument protection zone, indicating an extensively surveyed landscape. The dominant category is defensive sites — ringforts, enclosures, hillforts, and stone forts (569 sites, 60% of the record). Ringfort – rath is the most prevalent type, making up 23% of the barony's recorded sites (223 records), broadly in line with the ROI average of 20% across all baronies where this type occurs. Ringfort – rath is an earthen ringfort enclosed by a bank and external ditch — the most common Early Medieval farmstead, broadly dated 500–1000 AD. Other significant types include Enclosure (159) and Fulacht fia (147). Enclosure is a banked or ditched feature of uncertain type, used as a catch-all where the original function cannot be determined from surface evidence; Fulacht fia is a horseshoe-shaped Bronze Age burnt mound built around a sunken trough beside a water source, traditionally interpreted as a cooking site. Across the barony's 594 km², this gives a recorded density of 1.61 sites per km².
Most common monument types
Hover or tap a monument type to see its definition.
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Ringfort – rath an earthen ringfort enclosed by a bank and external ditch — the most common Early Medieval farmstead, broadly dated 500–1000 AD | 223 |
| Enclosure a banked or ditched feature of uncertain type, used as a catch-all where the original function cannot be determined from surface evidence | 159 |
| Fulacht fia a horseshoe-shaped Bronze Age burnt mound built around a sunken trough beside a water source, traditionally interpreted as a cooking site | 147 |
| Crannog an artificial or partly artificial island built up on a lake or river bed, in use from the 6th to 17th centuries AD | 67 |
| Souterrain an underground stone-built passage and chamber, generally Early Medieval and often associated with ringforts as a defensive or storage feature | 52 |
| Church a building used for public Christian worship, of any date from c. 500 AD onwards | 30 |
| Graveyard a burial area associated with a church, in use from the medieval period onwards | 18 |
| Ringfort – unclassified a circular Early Medieval settlement enclosure where surviving evidence does not allow distinction between earthen and stone forms | 17 |
Chronological distribution
The dated archaeological record for Carra spans from the Neolithic through to the Modern, with activity attested across 8 of 9 archaeological periods. Every period from earliest to latest is represented in the record — an unbroken sequence of dated activity across the full chronological span. Activity concentrates most heavily in the Early Medieval (387 sites, 49% of dated material), with the Iron Age forming a secondary peak (177 sites, 22%). A further 162 recorded sites (17% of the overall NMS register for the barony) carry no period attribution — appearing as 'Unknown' in the bar chart below. This typically reflects either records that pre-date the standardised period vocabulary or sites awaiting specialist dating review, rather than a genuine absence of chronological evidence.
Sample of recorded monuments
Show 25 sample monuments (of 955 total)
A representative sample of 25 recorded monuments drawn from the barony’s 955 total NMS entries. Sites within a recorded monument protection zone and rarer site types are prioritised so the list shows a meaningful cross-section rather than only the most common type. Each entry shows the official Sites and Monuments Record reference number and the description published by the National Monuments Service.
Fortification
This enclosure is situated at the SW end of Illanee or Garrison Island, in Lough Cullen c. 250m from its W shore. It consists of an impressive cashel-like monument (26m N-S; c. 24m E-W internally) built with stones…
This enclosure is situated at the SW end of Illanee or Garrison Island, in Lough Cullen c. 250m from its W shore. It consists of an impressive cashel-like monument (26m N-S; c. 24m E-W internally) built with stones bonded in mortar. Much of the mortar has eroded resulting in significant collapse of the enclosing walls in places. A possible two-roomed house is located in the NE quadrant of the enclosure and a small D-shaped hut abuts its SE gable. An entrance at the NW opens onto a rectangular berth for the mooring of boats: this now stands on dry land as the lake level was lowered in 1965. The monument has been identified by Naessens and O’Conor as a possible pre-Norman fortification dating to the eleventh- / twelfth century (2012, 119-121).
Compiled by: Paul Walsh
Date of upload: 18 April 2017
Megalithic tomb – unclassified
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Mass-rock
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Megalithic structure
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Round tower
Located on a ridge, with a fall of ground to E and S, overlooking the valley of the Castlebar River. It stands immediately adjacent to a church (MA070-144001-) within a graveyard (MA070-144008-).
This round tower is a…
Located on a ridge, with a fall of ground to E and S, overlooking the valley of the Castlebar River. It stands immediately adjacent to a church (MA070-144001-) within a graveyard (MA070-144008-).
This round tower is a National Monument in state ownership (No. 100). It is the only surviving visible remains of an early medieval monastery known to have existed at Turlough.
The circular tower (base diam. c. 5.5m; H c. 22m) is built of sandstone rubble. It has a rather squat appearance, having one of the lowest heights of known towers. An offset (Wth 0.1m) is visible at the base of the tower on the SW side, where there is a natural fall in ground level. The original round-arched doorway (Wth 0.7m at base, 0.58m at springing of arch; H 1.83m) is at ESE, 3.96m above the external offset, and is now blocked up. Below this, there is another later opening (Wth 0.58m; H 0.95m), at a height of 1.15m above the current ground level, also blocked up. The uppermost storey is lit by four angle-headed windows located immediately beneath the roof at NNE, ESE, SSW and WNW, and lower levels are lit by four lintelled windows, located in descending order at ESE, NNE, WNW and SSE. A drawing by Bigari, dated to 1792, shows the original conical, stone-built cap in a ruinous state; it was rebuilt by the OPW in the late 1800’s. (Barrow 1979, 160-2).
Attached images:
MA070-144002-_01 viewed from W
MA070-144002-_02 viewed from SE; original round-headed door, now blocked up, is visible, with a lat…
Stone row
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Monumental structure
In pasture, located in what was formerly the estate of Raheens House, the principal seat of the Browne family. Tall, obelisk-type monument, built of mortared stone, erected in the early 19th-century by Dodwell Browne,…
In pasture, located in what was formerly the estate of Raheens House, the principal seat of the Browne family. Tall, obelisk-type monument, built of mortared stone, erected in the early 19th-century by Dodwell Browne, Esq., in memory of his wife. Roughly centrally placed on the WSW face is a stone plaque featuring a carving of a woman’s head in profile above which is the inscription 'Maria O Donel Browne'. Below this is another plaque with the inscription "A Maria et a l'amour par son cher epoux Dodwell 1809". At the foot of the monument is an inscription in old Irish script below which is written 'This Cenotaph was built in memorial of Maria Browne O Donel 2d. Daughter of Sir Neal O Donel'. On the ESE face there is plaque with the inscription 'To Gaiety And Innocence'.
Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy
Date of upload: 13 July 2015
Windmill
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Stone circle
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Ritual site – holy tree/bush
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Religious house – Augustinian canons
Founded in 1216, on site of earlier monastery, by Cathal Crovderg O'Connor for the Augustinian Canons. Bricius was first abbot. Abbey burnt in 1265. Walter Mac Evilly last abbot when suppresed in 1542. Held by John King…
Founded in 1216, on site of earlier monastery, by Cathal Crovderg O'Connor for the Augustinian Canons. Bricius was first abbot. Abbey burnt in 1265. Walter Mac Evilly last abbot when suppresed in 1542. Held by John King in 1605. Cromwellians destroyed much of abbey in 1653. Augustinian friars granted possession in mid 17th century (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 159). Restoration work carried out in 1846, 1889, 1899 and early 1960's. Church (L 40m, Wth across transepts 22.9m) is cruciform in shape; consists of chancel, nave, N and S transepts, with two side-chapels opening onto the W wall of its respective transept (all 13th century in date). Four pointed arches at intersection of nave and transepts originally supported a low crenellated tower. Chancel, with low ribbed vaulting is supported by well-carved capitals; contains two piscina and a sedilia. E wall of chancel contains three fine transitional windows lighting main altar. Two of the side chapels have barrel vaults and two have pointed vaults. 15th century W doorway, reinserted in 1964. S of chancel is 17th century de Burgo mortuary chapel. S of south transept is sacristy and chapter house with fine 13th century doorway on E side. Further S are 15th century buildings. S of nave is 15th century cloisters again with further buildings to S. This is a national monument (no. 501) in state care.
The above description has been derived from D. Lavelle (compiler), An Archaeological Survey of Ballinrobe and District including Loug…
Wall monument
In Ballintubber abbey church (MA089-058004-), in the S wall of a chapel built in the space between the chancel and S transept, now used as the sacristy. 17th-century canopy tomb of Theobald Bourke, also known as Tibbot…
In Ballintubber abbey church (MA089-058004-), in the S wall of a chapel built in the space between the chancel and S transept, now used as the sacristy. 17th-century canopy tomb of Theobald Bourke, also known as Tibbot na Long Bourke, son of Grace O’Malley, the infamous pirate queen. After the defeat of the Armada, Theobald was rewarded with a knighthood for his support of Lord Mountjoy when the Spanish forces landed in Kinsale, and in 1627 he was created 1st Viscount Mayo (Egan 1967, 23). He married Maud, daughter of Charles O’Connor Sligo, and had four sons and three daughters. He died in 1629 and according to a local tradition he was killed near the abbey by his own brother-in-law Diarmuid O’Connor Sligo, though this might be confusing his death with the murder of another Bourke in 1505, recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters (Bourke 1984, 28). He was the first Bourke to be buried in the chapel, in this altar tomb with a large stone canopy. Other Viscounts Mayo were interred in the chapel after him, the last another Theobald, the 7th Viscount, in 1741 (Egan 1967, 24).
The canopy has a rounded arch with multifoils, under a large, square projecting hood decorated with three projecting corbels along the top, though only the central one survives in its entirety. On top of each corbel is a carved figure, the central one an angel, the other two perhaps a male and a female figure. The central, surviving corbel is decorated with low-relief carving of foliage and between…
Tomb – chest tomb
In Ballintubber abbey church ((MA089-058004-), at the E end of the chancel, within the N wall. 15th-century chest tomb inserted within a niche with a restored rounded arch. It is unknown which abbot of the community of…
In Ballintubber abbey church ((MA089-058004-), at the E end of the chancel, within the N wall. 15th-century chest tomb inserted within a niche with a restored rounded arch. It is unknown which abbot of the community of Augustinian canons was buried there, though we know the names of a number of 15th-century abbots from sources. These include some colourful characters such as Thomas O’Ronain, who in 1462 was accused of malversation [corrupt use] of the property and revenues of the abbey (Twemlow 1921, 459), or Edmund de Stanton, who possessed ‘private property (…) does not reside in the said monastery, has received a certain man as a canon for a money payment (…) and, being unlearned, does not pray nor celebrate’ (Twemlow 1955, 92). The front of the tomb is comprised of two panels decorated with carvings of ogee-headed canopies framed by pinnacles. Each ogee is decorated with trefoil tracery, with a stylised flower or vine-leaf carved in its centre. The pinnacles terminate into a stylised flower or vine-leaf, and at the apex of each ogee-head are more stylised foliage. Each panel consists of two canopies, with two half-canopies on either side.
Compiled by Anne-Julie Lafaye
Date of upload: 09 January 2022
Cross – Wayside cross
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Moated site
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Cross-slab
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House – 18th/19th century
In pasture, located on the E-facing slope of a N–S ridge on ground that falls gently towards the Manulla River. This was house was built in the early 18th-century by Gerald Cuff. It is said to have been burnt during the…
In pasture, located on the E-facing slope of a N–S ridge on ground that falls gently towards the Manulla River. This was house was built in the early 18th-century by Gerald Cuff. It is said to have been burnt during the Rebellion of 1798, and is marked ‘in ruins’ on the 1838 OS 6-inch map. Greatly ruined two storey house (int. 25m NW–SE; 12.8m NE–SW) of undressed limestone and red brick, approached from W by an avenue. (An archaeological Survey of the Belcarra area, Co. Mayo Survey. A Fás/Belcarra Community co-op project, 1988-89. Unpublished).
Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy
Date of upload: 14 July 2015
Barrow – bowl-barrow
On summit of hill, overlooking Ballyglass Lough to N. Reconstructed after excavation. Circular mound (diam. 8.5m N-S; H 1.4m), proved upon excavation (Hencken 1935, 75-82) to be enclosed by fosse (D 0.5m), levelled E to…
On summit of hill, overlooking Ballyglass Lough to N. Reconstructed after excavation. Circular mound (diam. 8.5m N-S; H 1.4m), proved upon excavation (Hencken 1935, 75-82) to be enclosed by fosse (D 0.5m), levelled E to ESE, and external earthen bank SSE to NNE, with break (Wth 1m) in NW. Erection of stone fence probably led to site disturbance on E. Contained burials (MA100-071002-).
The above description has been derived from D. Lavelle (compiler), An Archaeological Survey of Ballinrobe and District including Lough Mask and Lough Carra. Lough Mask and Lough Carra Tourist Development Association (1994), No. 41.
Date of upload: 4 February 2013
Gatehouse
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Dovecote
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Country house
In forestry, situated on elevated ground overlooking the N end of Lough Carra. This house, five-bay, three storey over basement, was built between 1792-95 by George Moore. It was designed by the Waterford architect,…
In forestry, situated on elevated ground overlooking the N end of Lough Carra. This house, five-bay, three storey over basement, was built between 1792-95 by George Moore. It was designed by the Waterford architect, John Roberts. The now ruined house was burnt down in 1923 during the Civil War.
Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy
Date of upload: 14 July 2015
Burnt pit
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House – 17th century
The present Partry House is a detached, five-bay, two-storey part double-pile house that is likely to incorporate an earlier house of late 17th century date. In 1667 Sir Henry Lynch of Castlecarra granted his mother the…
The present Partry House is a detached, five-bay, two-storey part double-pile house that is likely to incorporate an earlier house of late 17th century date. In 1667 Sir Henry Lynch of Castlecarra granted his mother the lands of Cloonlagheen in lieu of her dowry (Grimes 2007, 55), which lands were confirmed to him by letters patent in 1678 (Nicholls 1980, 177). These remained in the hands of his descendants (the Lynch/Blosse family) until the estate was sold in 1916 (http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/estate-show.jsp?id=458 (accessed 29 November 2015), the family retaining the house and adjoining property; these were sold in 1991 (Grimes 2007, 62). The house, built on a U-shaped plan, is largely of Georgian character (Bence Jones 1988, 231) and was extended chiefly in 1902 (east wing) and 1948 (west wing) (Grimes 2007, 61-2). Renovations undertaken in 1996 to the interior uncovered a number of slit window loops which were interpreted as belonging to the earlier tower-house or castle (MA109-033001-) (Grimes 2007, 56).
Compiled by: Paul Walsh
Date of upload: 30 November 2015
Tomb – unclassified
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Ringfort – rath
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Listed buildings
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) is a state survey appraising buildings of architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social, or technical interest. Each surveyed structure receives a rating from International (the highest, for buildings of European importance) through National, Regional, Local, and Record-Only.
The NIAH records 194 listed buildings in Carra, the 78th percentile across ROI baronies for listed-building density. The highest-graded structures include 2 of National significance. The Republic holds 937 National-graded buildings in total, so this barony accounts for around 0% of the national total. Construction dates concentrate most heavily in the Victorian (1830-1900) period.
Terrain and environment
Mean elevation across the barony is 72m — the 34th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for elevation. This means it is in the lower half of all baronies for elevation. Elevation matters for heritage because higher-altitude baronies typically favour defensive monuments — ringforts and hilltop forts placed on prominent ground — while lowland baronies are more likely to carry the dense settlement and church networks of intensive agricultural landscapes. The barony reaches 514m at its highest point — a vertical span of more than 441m within its boundary, indicating significant topographic diversity. Mean slope is 4.3° — the 65th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for slope. This means it is in the upper half of all baronies for slope. Slope is a key control on both land use and archaeological preservation: steep ground resists ploughing and tends to preserve earthworks intact, while gentle slopes favour intensive cultivation that damages or destroys surface archaeology over time. The Topographic Wetness Index averages 10.7, the 43rd percentile among 280 ROI baronies for wetness. This means it is in the lower half of all baronies for wetness. Drainage matters for heritage because poorly-drained ground preserves organic archaeology (wooden trackways, leather, textiles, and on rare occasions human remains) far better than free-draining soil; well-drained ground favours arable use but destroys organic material rapidly. The land-cover mosaic combines improved grassland (75%), woodland (15%), and open water (9%), giving a mixed agricultural and semi-natural landscape.
Terrain measurements
Where this barony sits in the Republic of Ireland
Geology and preservation
Bedrock geology shapes the landscape long before any settlement begins — controlling soil drainage, agricultural potential, the survival of upstanding monuments, and the preservation of buried archaeology. The figures below come from the Geological Survey Ireland 1:100,000 bedrock map.
The bedrock underlying Carra is predominantly limestone (21% of the barony by area), laid down during the Carboniferous period (59% by area, around 359 to 299 million years ago). Limestone is the most heritage-rich bedrock in Ireland. It supports fertile, well-drained soils that favoured dense Early Medieval settlement and Norman manorial agriculture, and it weathers into karst features — sinkholes, caves, swallow holes, and souterrains — that frequently carry archaeology. Where peat overlies limestone, organic preservation can be exceptional. With 19 distinct rock types mapped, the barony sits in the top third of ROI baronies for geological diversity (99th percentile) — typically a sign of complex tectonic history or coastal mosaics of differing rock units.
Rock type composition
Placename evidence
Logainm records 76 heritage-diagnostic placenames for Carra, drawn from townland and civil-parish names across the barony. The dominant stratum is pre-Christian and Early Medieval defensive — ráth-, lios-, dún-, and caiseal-prefixed names that mark Iron Age and early historic settlement. The leading diagnostic roots are cill- (27 — church), lios- (20 — ringfort or enclosure), and ráth- (12 — earthen ringfort). This is well above the ROI average of 30.7 heritage placenames per barony — around 2.5× the typical figure. The presence of multiple heritage strata side by side indicates layered occupation of the landscape across successive prehistoric and historic periods. Logainm records 541 placenames for Carra (predominantly townland names). Of these, 76 (14%) carry one of the diagnostic Gaelic roots tracked above; the remainder draw on more generic landscape vocabulary that does not encode a heritage period.
Pre-Christian / Early Medieval Defensive
| Root | Count | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| lios- | 20 | ringfort or enclosure |
| ráth- | 12 | earthen ringfort |
| dún- | 3 | hilltop or promontory fort |
| caiseal- | 3 | stone ringfort |
| cathair- | 1 | stone fort |
Early Christian Ecclesiastical
| Root | Count | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| cill- | 27 | church (early) |
| cillín- | 2 | unconsecrated burial ground |
| teampall- | 1 | church (later medieval) |
| mainistir- | 1 | monastery |
Burial, Ritual, and Norse-Contact
| Root | Count | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| carn- | 3 | cairn |
| gall- | 2 | foreigner — Norse settlement marker |
| feart- | 1 | grave mound |
| leacht- | 1 | grave monument |
| sián- | 1 | fairy mound |
Other baronies in Mayo
- Burrishoole
- Erris
- Clanmorris
- Gallen
- Costello
- Tireragh
- Murrisk
- Coolavin — Sligo
- Mohill — Leitrim
- Longford — Galway
See all 280 baronies in the Republic of Ireland Heritage Tool.
Explore further
Grounding History: 10 Maps of Northern Ireland’s Past
If you’re interested in Irish heritage more widely, the companion report for Northern Ireland brings together the analysis of all 462 NI wards into one place through 10 high-quality maps — covering monument density, archaeological periods, placename heritage, terrain, wetland, and the historic landscape at first survey. Take a look.
About this profile
Click any section below to expand.
What is a barony?
A barony is a historic administrative unit in Ireland, broadly equivalent to an English hundred. The 280 baronies used here are from the OSi 2019 National Statutory Boundaries (generalised 20m), covering the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland. Baronies derive from the Norman period, were formalised in the 17th century, and have not been redrawn for statistical purposes. They vary enormously in area, from compact urban baronies in Dublin to vast upland baronies in Connacht, and should not be compared by raw site count without accounting for area differences.
What counts as a site?
This profile combines three distinct heritage registers, each with its own definition of what constitutes a recordable site:
- Archaeological sites (NMS). The National Monuments Service Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) catalogues every known archaeological monument or site of archaeological interest in the Republic, from prehistoric burial mounds and ringforts to medieval churches and post-medieval defensive works. Inclusion does not require legal protection — only that the site has been identified, surveyed, and assessed as having archaeological value. A separate subset of these sites lies within a recorded protection zone, which gives them statutory protection under the National Monuments Acts.
- Listed buildings (NIAH). The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records buildings of architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social, or technical interest. Each surveyed structure is appraised on a five-tier scale: International, National, Regional, Local, and Record-Only. The NIAH appraisal is informational rather than strictly statutory, but it underpins local-authority Record of Protected Structures (RPS) listings.
- Heritage placenames (Logainm). Logainm is the authoritative database of Irish placenames maintained by the Placenames Branch. This profile applies a heritage-diagnostic classifier to the Irish-language form of each townland name, flagging roots that signal defensive sites (ráth-, lios-, dún-, caiseal-, cathair-), ecclesiastical foundations (cill-, teampall-, domhnach-, mainistir-), prehistoric burial-ritual features (tuaim-, carn-, leaba-), or Norse-contact settlement (gall-). Townlands without one of these diagnostic roots are not flagged here — they may still carry historical significance, but that significance is not encoded in the name itself.
Editorial principles
The narrative sections of this profile follow several explicit principles:
- Evidential. Every claim about this barony’s heritage character is anchored in the underlying register data. Where a site count, a placename count, or a percentile rank is cited, it is computed from the source datasets at export time, not estimated.
- Comparative. Counts and metrics are reported alongside their percentile rank against the other 279 ROI baronies. A barony with 50 ringforts in absolute terms could be unusually high or unusually low depending on its size and regional context; percentile ranking removes that ambiguity.
- Transparent on limits. Where a register has known coverage gaps, survey biases, or data-quality issues that affect this barony’s figures, the profile flags them rather than presenting the numbers as definitive.
- No interpretation beyond what the data supports. The narrative does not speculate about historical events, social dynamics, or cultural meaning beyond what the recorded heritage and placename evidence directly attests.
Data caveats and limits
- NMS Sites and Monuments Record is the product of survey campaigns conducted at different intensities across different counties and decades. Some baronies have been surveyed more thoroughly than others, and absolute counts should be read in that light. Sites destroyed by development before survey are typically not represented; sites in heavily forested or upland terrain are sometimes under-recorded.
- NIAH coverage is broadly complete for the Republic of Ireland but the survey was conducted on a rolling county-by-county basis, and the most recent appraisal date varies. Buildings demolished or substantially altered after their original survey may still appear in the register; conversely, recent buildings of merit may not yet have been appraised.
- Logainm classification applies a deliberately conservative pattern-matching approach to the Irish-language townland forms. The classifier prioritises true positives over recall: a townland may carry a heritage signal that the classifier doesn’t recognise, particularly where the diagnostic root has been heavily anglicised or where the townland name draws on a less common term. The 60,000+ townland records and ~9,800 classified placenames give a substantial signal at barony scale, but individual townland names should be checked against Logainm directly for definitive interpretation.
- Period attribution. The chronological distribution reflects only those NMS sites that carry a recognised period attribution in the source data. Sites listed as “Unknown” period are excluded from the dated subset.
- Boundary changes. Some baronies have undergone minor boundary adjustments since their 19th-century definition; the OSi 2019 generalised boundaries used here are the current statutory definition and may differ slightly from historical maps in border areas.
- Bedrock geology is mapped at 1:100,000 scale, which means local variation within a barony — small pockets of different rock type, mineral veins, alluvium overlying bedrock — is generalised. The dominant-system and rocktype figures are area-weighted, so a barony reading “70% Carboniferous limestone” may still contain small but archaeologically important pockets of older or younger rock. Around 3% of GSI polygons do not match the lexicon and contribute no rocktype or system attribution.
Data sources
- National Monuments Service — Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) https://data.gov.ie/dataset/national-monuments-service-archaeological-survey-of-ireland
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) https://data.gov.ie/dataset/national-inventory-of-architectural-heritage-niah-national-dataset
- Logainm — Placenames Database of Ireland https://www.logainm.ie/
- Ordnance Survey Ireland — National Statutory Barony Boundaries 2019 https://data-osi.opendata.arcgis.com/
- EURODEM — European Digital Elevation Model https://www.mapsforeurope.org/datasets/euro-dem
- ESA WorldCover https://esa-worldcover.org/en
- Geological Survey Ireland — 1:100,000 Bedrock Geology https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/data-and-maps/Pages/Bedrock.aspx
Explore more: Search any of the 280 ROI baronies, browse by historical province, or read the methodology and data sources for the full Republic of Ireland Heritage Tool.