Meelick

27 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Meelick, from 258 m² to 83,912 m² (8.39 ha, 20.74 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 28 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.

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

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

No planning application touches the townland of Meelick in the national file, which goes back to 2010.

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

• Special Area of Conservation: River Moy SAC 002298

Recorded monuments

• MA071-027001 Chapel
  Description

  Within a rath (MA071-027002-). A rectangular building (c. 14m NE−SW; 6-7m NW−SE), annotated ‘Chapel (in ruins)’, is indicated in the centre of the rath on the 1838 OS 6-inch map; the building is not shown on the 1931 edition, where the location is marked ‘Chapel (site of)’. No remains of the chapel are visible at ground level. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 2 July 2021

• MA071-027002 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  In pasture, located on a rise which provides good views E-wards over rolling grassland, and within the N half of a possible large enclosure (MA071-027003-). Meelick round tower (MA071-028003-) is visible 400m to SSE. A roughly circular platform (30.7m E−W; c. 30m N−S) defined by a scarp (ext. H 1.45m at NE, 1m at S), which has been cut almost to the vertical and faced with drystone walling. The stone facing is relatively intact along the N arc and in parts at SE, but elsewhere is largely tumbled. A break (Wth 3m) in the scarp at W opens onto a road which skirts the W arc of the enclosure. The interior slopes gently down from the perimeter to centre, giving it a slightly saucer-shaped profile. There is no visible trace of a chapel (MA071-027001-) which is shown in the centre of the interior on the 1838 OS 6-inch map. A bullaun stone (MA071-027004-) was found in the NE quadrant of the interior. This enclosure is most likely a rath, which has been modified in the modern era. The drystone facing on the enclosing scarp is probably contemporary with a ruined vernacular cottage/buildings located immediately outside the enclosure at NW. The perimeter is ringed by hawthorn and blackthorn, and blackthorn scrub encroaches on the interior. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 2 July 2021

• MA071-027003 Enclosure - large enclosure
  Description

  In pasture, encompassing gently elevated ground. The outline of a possible polygonal or subcircular enclosure (diam. c. 250m NW−SE) is defined in a rough arc at SE−N by a series of straight and gently curving field fences and field drains. A field drain defines the straight E side. The outline is visible on the 1931 OS 6-inch map and in current aerial imagery. There is no definitive evidence that the field banks and drains are ancient. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 2 July 2021

• MA071-027004 Bullaun stone
  Description

  In a rath (MA071-027001-). According to local information, a bullaun stone was found in the NE quadrant of the rath interior. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 2 July 2021

• MA071-028001 Church
  Description

  Located in a graveyard (MA071-028002) which encloses a round tower (MA071-028003-) and a cross-slab (MA028-028004-). The OS Letters record that two portions of the S wall of this church were extant in the 1830’s, located to SE of the round tower (O’Flanagan 1929, 383(158)). The location is marked as ‘Church (site of)’ on the 1931 OS 6-inch map. There are no upstanding remains of the church. Two low, grass-covered stony banks (Wth c. 1m; H c. 0.3) set perpendicular to each other are visible c. 10m SE of the round tower towards the E end of on the level summit of the knoll: one bank measures c. 6m ENE−WSW, and from its ENE end a shorter length of bank (L c. 3m) extends to NNW. It is possible that this L-shaped arrangement may represent remnants of the S and E walls of the church. The area is overlain by grave plots of relatively recent date. A number of pieces of cut stone (MA030-028005-), including a fragment of a round-headed window, which were found in the graveyard, are likely to have come from the church. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 21 June 2018

• MA071-028002 Graveyard
  Description

  In pasture, located on the E end of a low hill, with good views of the surrounding pastureland. This graveyard is depicted on the 1838 OS 6-inch map as a rectangular walled area (c. 45m ENE–WSW; c. 36m NNW–SSE); by the time of the 1931 edition, it had expanded to its current subrectangular extent (49m ENE–WSW; c. 72m NNW–SSE). It is enclosed by a mortared stone wall, with two gated entrances in the W wall. The oldest part of the graveyard, in the S half, encompasses the level top of the hill, and has an undulating, grass-covered surface. Stones protruding from the scarped S-facing slope may be part of an early enclosing wall, predating the current S wall of the graveyard. This part of the graveyard encloses the site of a church (MA071-028001-), a round tower (MA071-028003-) and a cross slab (MA071-028004-). Here, there is a scatter of 20th century grave plots with headstones, a few 19th century headstones and ledgers, and several low, uninscribed informal stone gravemarkers in roughly N−S rows. A rectangular enclosure/ grave plot (5.7m E–W; 6.1m N-S), enclosed by a stone wall (T 0.45m; H 0.9m), abuts the inner face of the graveyard wall at E; it appears to be 19th-century in date. The ground shelves down gently to N from the older, higher part of the graveyard, to the more level N half, which has a dense concentration of 20th-century grave plots laid out in close set rows. A number of architectural fragments (MA071-028004-), which are built into the graveyard wall at SE, are likely to have come from the church. The graveyard is bordered to W by a road, to W of which there is a modern graveyard. Attached images: MA071-028002-_01.JPG Graveyard with round tower viewed from N MA071-028002-_02.JPG Older, higher part of graveyard, viewed from W MA071-028002-_03.JPG Older, higher part of graveyard, viewed from E MA071-028002-_04.JPG Lower part of the graveyard, viewed from S Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 21 June 2018

• MA071-028003 Round tower
  Description

  In the SW quadrant of a graveyard (MA071-028002-), located on the top of a low hill. The location provides good views over an expanse of flat, damp pastureland which surrounds the base of the hill, and of the surrounding low hills beyond. This round tower is a National Monument in State care (No. 98). The circular tower (diam. c. 5.5m) is well built of relatively uniformly-sized, evenly-coursed sandstone blocks, and some limestone, dressed to the curve. It stands to a height of c. 21m, but is missing its original conical cap. There is an offset (Wth 0.16-0.25m; H 0.16-0.25m) around the circumference at the base. This is lowest at S−SW, but is higher on the N and E sides where it helps compensate for a natural drop in ground level. At N−NE and t SE the offset has a double step (total H 0.6m), with the lower level built of rougher, larger stones. A thin, shallow groove is incised on the upper surface of the stones of the offset, describing a continuous circle around the circumference. This may have provided a guideline for the construction of the tower on these foundations. The tower has a round-headed, externally splayed doorway (H 1.68m; Wth 0.76m; D 1.1m) at SSE. It is set above ground level, as is usual in round towers, in this case, 3.42m above the top external offset. It has a mortice for a bolt on the inside of the E jamb (Barrow 1979, 159). The tower had at least four floors levels, lit by small windows, flat-headed at NNW, WSW, ESE, and N, and angle-headed (created by two stones set at an angle) at ESE and S. The floors were wooden, supported on offsets or corbels, except for second floor level, which is a stone vault, supported on an offset and corbel table. The vault is 3.05m above the offset at first floor level. On the NE side of the vault there is a hole for a ladder, which allowed access to the floors above (Barrow 1979, 159). The vault is rare feature in round towers; a parallel can be found in the round tower (DG006-002004-) on Tory Island, Donegal. A cross-slab (MA071-028004-) is affixed to the external wall face of the tower at E. There are no upstanding remains of the church (MA071-028001-), which is located to SE of the tower, and the exact location of a souterrain (MA071-028006-), located to the W, is unknown. The round tower and the cross-slab are the only visible remains of the monastic foundation that existed here. Attached images: MA071-028003-_01.JPG Round tower viewed from S MA071-028003-_02.JPG Round tower viewed from N MA071-028003-_03.JPG Double offset at N-NE side of tower Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 21 June 2018

• MA071-028004 Cross-slab
  Description

  Located in a graveyard (MA030-028002-). It is affixed to the external wall at E of a round tower (MA071-028003-). It consists of a stone slab (L 1.48m; Wth 0.62m; T 0.17m), slightly rounded at top, and tapering to a narrow base. Filling almost the entire space on one face is a Latin cross formed of, and framed by, an intricate interlace pattern. The design is now very worn. It was, however, recorded by Crawford (1922, 179-181) in the early 20th century. He noted a number of small cross-like lacunae within the interlace pattern, and irregularities or inconsistencies in the execution of the interlace design. Between the decorated frame and the members of the cross are four blank panels, two of which, on the right side, contain worn remnants of an inscription 'ór dogr…' or 'ór dogri…' This translates as ‘Pray for Gr…’, with the name of the person now illegible. (Crawford 1922, 179-181). Attached images: MA071-028004-_01.JPG Cross-slab on SE side of round tower MA071-028004-_02.JPG Weathered surface of cross slab MA071-028004-_03.JPG Crawford's published drawing of cross slab (Crawford 1922, 180) Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 21 June 2018

• MA071-028005 Architectural fragment
  Description

  In the wall of a graveyard (MA071-028002-). A number of pieces of worked stone, including part of a round headed window, are incorporated into the graveyard wall at the SE corner. These were found within the graveyard, and are likely to have been part of the fabric of the church (MA071-028001-). Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 21 June 2018

• MA071-028006 Souterrain
  Description

  Located to W of a graveyard (MA071-028002-), which encloses a round tower (MA071-028003-) and the site of a church (MA071-028001-). This souterrrain was uncovered in 1967 by workmen digging foundation trenches for the wall of the 'new cemetery at Meelick', in a field known locally as 'The Bishop's Field' (NMI Correspondence Files/SMR file). Two trenches (D c. 1m) cut through the souterrain, revealing it to be of dry-stone construction with lintel roofing. Some objects, including bones and sea shells, were recovered and brought to the National Museum. The souterrain is likely to have been associated with the monastic foundation which existed here, of which the round tower and church were a part. The souterrain was covered over again; its exact location, which was not recorded at the time of its discovery, remains uncertain. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 21 June 2018

• MA071-216 Fulacht fia
  Description

  The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To access available information for research purposes please make an appointment in advance with the Archive Unit (open Fridays 10.00 am – 5.00 pm), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, The Custom House, Dublin 1 D01W6XO or email NMarchive@housing.gov.ie.

Architectural heritage

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

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. 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).

Radon

About 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility moderately low, low, on the 1:50,000 map.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Meelick.

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. 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.

No address of the register names Meelick with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Mayo.

Name

Meelick · Míleac

Area

494,300 m² (49.43 ha, 122.14 acres)

Civil parish

Meelick, and its townlands

Barony

Gallen

Electoral division

Meelick, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Meelick electoral division: 541 people in 208 households; 88% of households own their home; 30% of homes were built since 2001; 20% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 7% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Carrownacross, Cloonagalloon, Clooninshin, Collagh, Killeen, Newcastle

Placenames

Meelick on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. 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.