# Brees, Co. Mayo: townland, land parcels and planning

Townland in the civil parish of Mayo, barony of Clanmorris, Co. Mayo; in Irish Na Brí.

- Area (Tailte Éireann): 977,760 m² (97.78 ha, 241.61 acres)
- Land parcels (Tailte Éireann): 38 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in it, median 3,131 m² (0.31 ha, 0.77 acres)
- Zoning (national zoning, MyPlan): not in a zoned settlement
- Planning (National Planning Applications): 4 applications since 2010
- Civil parish: Mayo, https://everytownland.com/mayo/parish/mayo.md
- Barony: Clanmorris
- Electoral division: Balla, the unit of the census
- Census 2022 (Central Statistics Office): 1,661 people lived in 631 households in the Balla electoral division. 81% of households owned their home. 41% of homes were built since 2001. 13% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 2% were holiday homes.
- County: Co. Mayo, https://everytownland.com/mayo.md
- Placenames Database of Ireland: https://www.logainm.ie/en/35510
- Townland number at Tailte Éireann: 150458
- Centre: latitude 53.781085, longitude -9.071966 (WGS 84)

## Land parcels (registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann)

38 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Brees, from 101 m² to 137,552 m² (13.76 ha, 33.99 acres); 24 neighbouring parcels touch its boundary. Largest first:

- Parcel 5184520: 137,552 m² (13.76 ha, 33.99 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/5184520.md
- Parcel 1003176: 106,928 m² (10.69 ha, 26.42 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/1003176.md
- Parcel 872761: 93,126 m² (9.31 ha, 23.01 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/872761.md
- Parcel 887462: 83,660 m² (8.37 ha, 20.67 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/887462.md
- Parcel 887463: 78,312 m² (7.83 ha, 19.35 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/887463.md
- Parcel 879401: 78,260 m² (7.83 ha, 19.34 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/879401.md
- Parcel 974596: 70,506 m² (7.05 ha, 17.42 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/974596.md
- Parcel 974595: 62,678 m² (6.27 ha, 15.49 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/974595.md
- Parcel 944122: 61,097 m² (6.11 ha, 15.1 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/944122.md
- Parcel 955526: 53,724 m² (5.37 ha, 13.28 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/955526.md
- Parcel 879497: 33,789 m² (3.38 ha, 8.35 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/879497.md
- Parcel 952850: 22,351 m² (2.24 ha, 5.52 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/952850.md
- Parcel 900526: 19,614 m² (1.96 ha, 4.85 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/900526.md
- Parcel 948303: 14,425 m² (1.44 ha, 3.56 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/948303.md
- Parcel 879498: 11,162 m² (1.12 ha, 2.76 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/879498.md
- Parcel 933590: 10,492 m² (1.05 ha, 2.59 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/933590.md
- Parcel 5575477: 6,244 m² (0.62 ha, 1.54 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/5575477.md
- Parcel 976263: 3,497 m² (0.35 ha, 0.86 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/976263.md
- Parcel 4685497: 3,312 m² (0.33 ha, 0.82 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/4685497.md
- Parcel 5627097: 2,950 m² (0.29 ha, 0.73 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/5627097.md
- Parcel 912773: 2,659 m² (0.27 ha, 0.66 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/912773.md
- Parcel 958038: 2,539 m² (0.25 ha, 0.63 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/958038.md
- Parcel 965755: 2,007 m² (0.2 ha, 0.5 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/965755.md
- Parcel 937208: 2,004 m² (0.2 ha, 0.5 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/937208.md
- Parcel 919531: 1,918 m², https://everytownland.com/parcel/919531.md
- Parcel 954342: 1,888 m², https://everytownland.com/parcel/954342.md
- Parcel 971955: 1,743 m², https://everytownland.com/parcel/971955.md
- Parcel 911755: 1,675 m², https://everytownland.com/parcel/911755.md
- Parcel 973978: 1,458 m², https://everytownland.com/parcel/973978.md
- Parcel 966149: 1,434 m², https://everytownland.com/parcel/966149.md
- Parcel 5655991: 1,425 m², https://everytownland.com/parcel/5655991.md
- Parcel 967694: 1,390 m², https://everytownland.com/parcel/967694.md
- Parcel 948304: 699 m², https://everytownland.com/parcel/948304.md
- Parcel 890826: 421 m², https://everytownland.com/parcel/890826.md
- Parcel 5527620: 371 m², https://everytownland.com/parcel/5527620.md
- Parcel 5085715: 336 m², https://everytownland.com/parcel/5085715.md
- Parcel 923562: 180 m², https://everytownland.com/parcel/923562.md
- Parcel 5627104: 101 m², https://everytownland.com/parcel/5627104.md

## Zoning (national zoning of development plans, MyPlan)

No zone of a development plan covers Brees in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.

## Planning applications whose site touches the townland (National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

4 applications, newest first.

- 5 Feb 2026, Mayo County Council 2660092: Conditional. Permission. New sewage treatment plant and percolation area to service an existing dwelling house, along with all ancillary works. File: https://www.eplanning.ie/MayoCC/AppFileRefDetails/2660092/0
- 8 Aug 2025, Mayo County Council 25329: Conditional. Retention. retain extension as built to existing dwelling house. File: https://www.eplanning.ie/MayoCC/AppFileRefDetails/25329/0
- 25 Feb 2025, Mayo County Council 2560097: Conditional. Permission. Construction of a single storey rear extension to existing dwelling house, upgrading of the existing onsite wastewater treatment system and all ancillary works. File: https://www.eplanning.ie/MayoCC/AppFileRefDetails/2560097/0
- 8 Apr 2020, Mayo County Council 20246: Conditional. Permission, 1 home. DEMOLISH EXISTING DWELLING HOUSE, SEPTIC TANK AND PERCOLATION AREA, CLOSE UP EXISTING ENTRANCE, CONSTRUCT DWELLING HOUSE, WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM AND SOIL POLISHING FILTER, ESTABLISH A NEW ENTRANCE TOGETHER WITH ALL ANCILLARY SITE WORKS AND SERVICES.. File: https://www.eplanning.ie/MayoCC/AppFileRefDetails/20246/0

Applicants are not shown.

## Designated sites (National Parks and Wildlife Service)

No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches the townland of Brees.

## Recorded monuments (Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service)

- MA091-008001: Castle - ringwork, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CMA091-008001-. In pasture, encompassing a low rise bordering a lowlying area of wet ground. To NE ground rises to a N–S ridge on which Brees Castle (MA091-010----) is prominently sited c. 300m to SE. A farmstead lies immediately to W–NW. Not indicated on the 1838 OS 6-inch map; hachured on the 1920 edition, with ‘Children’s Burial Ground’ indicated at S. First recorded by Knox (1911-12, 149-153). This enigmatic earthwork may be a form of ringwork or earthwork castle, perhaps marking the site of an Anglo-Norman settlement prior to the construction of the masonry castle (MA091-010----) on the nearby hill to SE. A D-shaped area (81.5m NE–SW; c. 41.5m NW–SE) defined on the curving side SW–ENE by a scarp with an external fosse, and bordered on the straight side to SE by a field wall on a NE–SW axis. At S–W the fosse appears to have been re-cut to serve as a field drain. At NW–N the scarp is reduced to a slight rise, and the fosse is evident as a shallow depression, allowing access from the modern farmyard to NW into the interior of the enclosure. A septic tank is dug into the fosse at NW. The scarp and fosse are again well-defined N–NE but the fosse becomes increasing indistinct NE−ENE. Within the NE end of the enclosure, there is a sub-rectangular platform (16.5m NNW–SSE; c. 10.6m ENE–WSW), which what appears to be have been created by scarping a natural rise. The NNW side of the platform merges with the ringwork scarp and is topped with a raised stony rim or bank (Wth 3.4m; int. H 0.25m; ext. H 1.9m). On the ENE side the platform scarp (H 1.2; Wth slope 3.3m) is well-defined and retains a hint of a raised rim at its N end. On the SSE side the scarp merges with a broadly slumped slope which appears natural. The WSW side of the platform has been quarried away. This platform may have served a motte-like function within the ringwork. In the S half of the ringwork interior, there is an oval platform (16m NE–SW; 26m NW–SE) which was used as a children’s burial ground (MA091-008003-). The straight NE−SW field boundary has obliterated the form of the original enclosing element on the E side of the enclosure, but it is clear that the expanse of wet ground here would have offered a measure of defence. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 7 February 2022
- MA091-008002: Enclosure, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CMA091-008002-. This is a duplicate record. See Ringwork -possible (MA091-008001-). Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 7 February 2022
- MA091-008003: Children's burial ground, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CMA091-008003-. In the S half of a possible ringwork (MA091-008001-). Not indicated on the 1838 OS 6-inch map; named ‘Children’s Burial Ground’ on the 1920 edition. First recorded by Knox (1911-12, 149-153). A grass-covered oval platform (16m NE–SW; 26m NW–SE) in the SW end of the ringwork was used as a burial ground for unbaptized babies. A shallow depression (Wth c. 5m) on the N arc separates the platform from the rest of the ringwork interior and at W–SE the platform is defined by a scarp (H 0.7m at NE) which merges S–W with the scarp (H 1.3m at SW) of the ringwork. Stones protruding from the top of the scarp at SW–W may be remnants of a kerb or wall. The top of the platform is densely covered in gravemarkers consisting of small upright uninscribed slabs and stones. According to local information, the last burials took place in the early 1950’s. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 7 February 2022
- MA091-010: Castle - Anglo-Norman masonry castle, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CMA091-010----. In pasture, prominently sited on a rocky knoll on a N–S ridge, with the steepest fall of ground to SW overlooking a broad sweep of undulating grassland. A castle was built at Brees in the second half of the 13th-century castle by the Anglo-Norman Prendergasts, who later adopted the Irish name, MacMorris or MacMorys. In 1574 the castle was in the possession of Walter oge MacMorris, chief of the clan, who was succeeded by Richard Mac Morys. At the Composition of Connacht in 1585 Richard Mac Morys was granted title under English law to this castle and a large tract of land in the barony of Clanmorris, and in December of that year he transferred ownership to Francis Barkley, Marshal of the Connacht. Subsequently the property came into the possession of John Moore, whose title was confirmed by a patent of King James I in 1607. The property remained with the Moore family until the late19th century. This greatly ruined castle consists of a sub-rectangular area (16m E–W; c. 24m N–S) enclosed by a ruined masonry wall which encompasses the rocky knoll. The curtain wall is reduced to a low, sod-covered rubble bank on its inner face. Externally, the wall (H 2-3m) is built onto the scarped knoll slope, taking advantage of its steep slope. A short section of intact external wall face (H 2m) of roughly course limestone, incorporating remnants of a base batter (H 0.8m), can be seen at NNE, and another remnant is evident at S. But elsewhere around the circuit the curtain wall is robbed of its stone facing, exposing the rubble core. At the SE corner of the curtain wall, a slight projection of the wall is flanked at E by a broken block of masonry with traces of vaulting; these features may indicate the location of a gateway or entrance tower. In the interior of the enclosure, there are traces of an E−W wall 5m S of the N curtain wall. A few meters S of this, the ephemeral outline of wall footings can also be traced for c. 3m extending SSE through the interior. These walls may preserve the outline of a rectangular building or hall (MA091-010001) built against curtain wall at E. Large lumps of displaced masonry lie on the knoll slope to S and SW of the castle. Relict cultivation ridges, and areas of past quarrying, are evident on the slopes of the knoll and the surrounding ridge. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 7 February 2022
- MA091-010001: Field system, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CMA091-010001-. In pasture in undulating terrain, adjacent to Brees castle, an Anglo-Norman masonry castle (MA091-10----). Fragmentary remains of a grid of rectilinear fields extend over an area of c. 200m N−S by c. 170m E−W. The intact outline of at least four individual fields (max dim. 45-50m) can still be traced. The fields are defined by drystone walls, now ruined and grassed over, and enclose relict cultivation ridges on a roughly NE−SW axis. Brees castle occupies a prominent knoll towards the SE extent to the field system. While it is possible that some of the field walls may be contemporary with the castle, it seems more likely that the field system relates to an 18th/19th-century farmstead, which was located c. 30m N of the castle and is shown on the 1838 and 1920 OS 6-inch maps. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 7 February 2022
- MA091-011: Enclosure, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CMA091-011----. In pasture, located on elevated ground c. 80m E of a castle (MA091-010----).A modern house and garden are immediately to S, and there are farm buildings immediately to E. A circular enclosure, marked ‘Danes Fort’ is shown on an 1811 estate map (NLI Ms. 2713) at roughly this location. It is not shown on the 1838 and 1920 OS 6-inch maps. There is no visible trace at ground level. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 7 February 2022

Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

## Architectural heritage (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage)

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands in the townland of Brees.

## Ground and risks (Radon Risk Map of Ireland, EPA; Landslide Susceptibility Classification and LiDAR, Geological Survey Ireland)

- Radon: at the centre of the townland of Brees, about 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home: https://www.epa.ie/environment-and-you/radon/radon-testing/#d.en.82887
- Landslides: The 1:50,000 map rates the landslide susceptibility here as moderately low, low, partly inferred.
- Terrain model: no LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Brees.
- Flooding: the flood maps of the Office of Public Works, https://www.floodinfo.ie/map/floodmaps/, linked only: their licence does not allow re-use.

LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

## Downloads

- DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings, for a drawing program: https://everytownland.com/mayo/brees.dxf
- GeoJSON, in WGS 84, for a map: https://everytownland.com/mayo/brees.geojson
- KML, for Google Earth: https://everytownland.com/mayo/brees.kml

## Homes sold (Residential Property Price Register)

No address of the register names Brees with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Mayo: https://everytownland.com/mayo.md

## Neighbouring townlands (National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann)

- Ballintleva: https://everytownland.com/mayo/ballintleva-150151.md
- Barnagreggaun: https://everytownland.com/mayo/barnagreggaun.md
- Coolaghbaun: https://everytownland.com/mayo/coolaghbaun-151092.md
- Facefield: https://everytownland.com/mayo/facefield.md
- Heathlawn: https://everytownland.com/mayo/heathlawn.md
- Mossbrook: https://everytownland.com/mayo/mossbrook.md

A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.

---

Everytownland reads the registered freehold land and the statutory boundaries of Tailte Éireann, the national zoning, planning file and heritage records of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Residential Property Price Register. A parcel is the land of a title, not an address. The owner's name is in the Land Registry of Tailte Éireann: a copy of the folio can be ordered on landdirect.ie, for a fee; this site names no owner. A price is the price recorded for a past sale, not a valuation.

Sources: Cadastral Parcels Freehold, Townlands, Civil Parishes, Baronies, Electoral Divisions and Buildings, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0; national zoning of development plans (GZT, MyPlan) and National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0, applicants not shown; designated sites, National Parks and Wildlife Service, CC BY 4.0; Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service, CC BY 4.0; National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, CC BY 4.0; Residential Property Price Register, Property Services Regulatory Authority, re-used with the source acknowledged.

- Page: https://everytownland.com/mayo/brees
- In JSON: https://everytownland.com/api/townland/mayo/brees