Rosserk
Rosserk is a townland in the civil parish of Ballysakeery, barony of Tirawley, Co. Mayo. Its name in Irish is Ros Eirc.
Parcel 1002779
- Area
- 97,930 m² (9.79 ha, 24.2 acres)
- Buildings
- 6 buildings touch it. Their footprint covers 968 m².
- Zoning
- No zone of a development plan covers it in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply.
- Townland
- Rosserk
Planning applications on this parcel
No planning application touches this parcel 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
No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches this parcel.
Recorded monuments around it
No zone of notification of a recorded monument touches this parcel.
Architectural heritage
No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands on this parcel.
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).
Ground and risks
- Radon
- At the centre of this parcel, about 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home
- Landslides
- The 1:50,000 map rates the landslide susceptibility here as low.
- Terrain model
- No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of this parcel.
- Flooding
- The Office of Public Works publishes its flood maps on floodinfo.ie.
Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, and Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland, both under 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.
Download this parcel as DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its neighbours and buildings, for a drawing program. GeoJSON, in WGS 84, suits a map, and KML opens in Google Earth.
Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. 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.
- Area
- 443.5 ha
- 1,096 acres
- Land parcels
- 88
- registered freehold, median 21,643 m² (2.16 ha, 5.35 acres)
- Zoning
- —
- not in a zoned settlement
- Planning
- 12
- applications since 2010
Land parcels
Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann
88 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Rosserk, from 228 m² to 277,897 m² (27.79 ha, 68.67 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary. 40 neighbouring parcels touch it.
Download the townland as DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings, or as GeoJSON or KML.
Zoning
Development plans, national zoning
No zone of a development plan covers Rosserk 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.
Planning applications
Sites that touch the townland, newest first
21 Nov 2025Conditional
construction of a dwelling house and domestic garage with effluent treatment system and for all associated site works
Permission, 1 home · Mayo County Council, 2560846
3 Apr 2025Conditional
construct extension to existing dwelling house and retain existing front boundary wall area including all ancillary site works. Planning permission P24/204 also refers
Permission · Mayo County Council, 25124
2 Aug 2024Conditional
1): Construct new single storey dwellinghouse and domestic garage 2): Install new waste water treatment system and percolation area to EPA 2021 standards 3): Carry out all ancillary site works at Rosserk, Killala, Co Mayo
Permission, 1 home · Mayo County Council, 2460483
30 May 2024Conditional
retain existing dwelling house and detached domestic garage, construct extension to existing dweling house, upgrade the existing septic tank system to a new proprietary effluent treatment system and percolation area including all ancillary site works
Permission · Mayo County Council, 24204
27 Sept 2023Conditional
extend and reconstruct dwelling house, demolish rear section of dwelling house area 5.9 sqm, construct proprietary effluent treatment unit, percolation area including all ancillary site works
Permission · Mayo County Council, 23552
1 Jun 2023Conditional
(1) Construction of a new detached dwelling house, (2) proposed effluent treatment system and percolation area with all associated site works at
Permission, 1 home · Mayo County Council, 2360198
8 Jul 2022Conditional
DEMOLISH EXISTING DETACHED DWELLING HOUSE, CONSTRUCT REPLACEMENT DETACHED DWELLING HOUSE, TOGETHER WITH ALL ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS
Permission, 1 home · Mayo County Council, 22565
4 Jun 2021Conditional
RETAIN EXISTING DWELLING HOUSE, SEPTIC TANK/PERCOLATION AREA AND DETACHED DOMESTIC SHED INCLUDING ALL ANCILLARY SITE WORKS
Retention, 1 home · Mayo County Council, 21593
7 May 2021Conditional
CONSTRUCTION OF EXTENSIONS TO DWELLING TOGETHER WITH ALL ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS
Permission · Mayo County Council, 21451
23 Nov 2020Conditional
RETAIN EXISTING DWELLING, DEMOLISH FRONT PORCH, EXTEND AND RECONSTRUCT DWELLING HOUSE AND PERMISSION TO UPGRADE THE EXISTING SEPTIC TANK SYSTEM TO A NEW PROPRIETARY EFFLUENT TREATMENT UNIT AND PERCOLATION AREA INCLUDING ALL ANCILLARY SITE WORKS
Permission · Mayo County Council, 20905
19 Dec 2019Conditional
CONSTRUCT DWELLING HOUSE, WITH AN ATTACHED DOMESTIC GARAGE, PROPRIETARY EFFLUENT TREATMENT SYSTEM AND PERCOLATION AREA, TOGETHER WITH ALL ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS
Permission, 1 home · Mayo County Council, 19997
17 Sept 2019Conditional
CONSTRUCT AN INDOOR HORSE ARENA COMPLETE WITH STABLE BLOCK, HORSE HANDLING AREA, DOMESTIC KITCHEN/CANTEEN AND TOILET FACILITIES (2,635.2 SQM), CONSTRUCTION OF A 4 BAY MACHINERY SHED (252 SQM), CONSTRUCTION OF A 2 BAY MANURE SHED (99.2 SQM), COMPLETE WITH DOMESTIC SEPTIC SYSTEM, BOUNDARY TREATMENT, PARKING AND ALL ANCILLARY SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS
Permission · Mayo County Council, 19724
Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.
Nature and heritage
Designated sites and recorded monuments
Designated sites
- Special Area of Conservation: Killala Bay/Moy Estuary SAC 000458
- Special Protection Area: Killala Bay/Moy Estuary SPA 004036
- Proposed Natural Heritage Area: Killala Bay/Moy Estuary 000458
Recorded monuments
- MA022-069 Ringfort - unclassified
Description
In average pasture, located close to the northern boundary of the townland, at the E end of a low ridge. The location overlooks a narrow valley of wet ground to NE, the River Moy estuary to E, and undulating grassland to S. This possible rath is named ‘Rathpark’ on the 1838 and 1929 OS 6-inch maps, where it is shown as a circular ringfort-sized enclosure (diam. 25-30m). It has been levelled, and there is no visible trace at ground level. A rath (MA022-070----) is located in the valley c. 100m to NE. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 3 May 2019
- MA022-072 Ringfort - rath
Description
In average undulating pasture, located on the NE boundary of the townland, straddling a rise on a NW–SE ridge. Subcircular, raised area (18.7m NW–SE; 19.4m NE–SW to field wall) bordered at NE by a field wall, which serves as the townland boundary. This appears to be the remains of a rath, which utilises a natural rise, but is now partly quarried out. Remnants of an enclosing scarp (ext. H c. 1.6m) can be traced S–NW, but the remainder of the circuit has been dug away, as has a portion (diam. c. 10m; D 0.7-1m) of the interior at E and S. An area (c. 13m NW–SE; c. 6m NE–SW) immediately adjacent to the enclosure at SW has also been quarried out. Another rath (MA022-074----) is located 100m to ESE on the same ridge, and a standing stone (MA022-073----) is visible on elevated ground c. 400m to S. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 3 May 2019
- MA022-073 Standing stone
Description
In pasture, located on a knoll, with extensive views over the surrounding sharply undulating terrain, and to E over the estuary of the River Moy. The Ox Mountains form the far horizon to NE–E, and Nephin and the Nephin Beg range are visible to SW. This standing stone is not indicated on the 1838 and 1929 OS 6-inch maps. It consists of an upright, pillar-like stone (H 3.1m; max. Wth 0.6m; max. T 0.5m) with a rectangular cross section, long axis NW–SE. The stone is broadest on its upper half. It tapers slightly towards the base, but has a slight asymmetrical splay on the SE side just above ground level. At top it narrows to a roughly triangular shape with a markedly pointed central apex. In the lower half of the SW face there is a small cup-mark like depression (diam. c. 0.1m) but this seems to be a natural solution hollow. The stone now stands in a small stony hollow. John O’Donovan recorded in the 1838 OS Letters that the stone stands on the boundary between ancient territories in the Barony of Tirawley (O’Flanagan 1927, (104-105 (54-55)). According to local information, this stone was removed from the ground, in which it was not deeply embedded, during land reclamation in the 1980’s and was subsequently re-erected at roughly the same spot. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 3 May 2019
- MA022-079 Cross-inscribed stone
Description
In pasture, located in a large rectangular field of flat, rush-grown damp peaty ground. A cross inscribed stone was noted at roughly this location by a Dr. Jackson, probably in the mid-20th century. His undated report to the National Museum describes it as a boulder (L 1.5m; Wth 1m; H 0.65m) embedded in boggy ground, and states that ‘There are three crosses and one right half of a cross. The topmost cross is on a small flat ‘platform’ and to the left of it is a small saucer (diam. 65m) in the centre of which is a small hole of 2cm diameter and 5.6cm deep.’ The stone was not located when the area was inspected in 1995 and 2019. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 14 May 2019
- MA022-080002 Crannog
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.
- MA022-080003 Crannog
Description
This crannog is shown on the 1838 and 1922 OS 6-inch maps as an island located roughly in the centre of Rathroeen Lough. The lake was drained in the 1960’s and reverted to marshy scrubland. A Mayo County Council landfill site covers an extensive area immediately to S of the crannog. Two possible crannogs (MA022-080001-; MA022-080002-), shown as islands on the 1929 OS 6-inch map, are located c. 100m to N. This crannog is evident as a roughly circular, flat-topped platform (diam. c. 18–19m; H 1.5m), with relatively regular sides which slope quite steeply into the surrounding scrub and reed beds. Test trenching (02E0867) was carried out in 2002 to assess the significance of the site which was under threat from a planned expansion of the County Council Landfill (Gillespie, 2002). Two perpendicular trenches (Wth 1m) were opened, extending N–S and E–W across the site. When an upper layer of sod, clay and modern rubbish was removed, a layer of mid-red/brown clay layer, up to 0.8m thick was revealed. This layer rested on, and around, a deposit of limestone boulders, mostly rounded, with weathered surfaces. The boulders overlay a layer of mottled, yellow/mid-brown clay. A small deposit of poorly preserved cockle shells was identified on the surface of this layer. Lenses of ash, charcoal-stained silt and animal bones were also found at this level. Around the perimeter of the platform an encircling accumulation/bank (Wth 5-6m) of stones and boulders was exposed, but not excavated. It may be an enclosing element or may have acted as a solid outer face to the crannog. A corroded iron object, possibly a pin, was retrieved from the upper levels. A dugout canoe (Nat. Mus. Reg. no. 1A 153/62) was discovered in 1962 c. 80-100m NE of the crannog; It produced a radiocarbon date of 410±30 BP. This may be an indication of the date of the crannog. (Gillespie, 2002). Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 3 May 2019
- MA022-081 Enclosure
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.
- MA022-082001 Religious house - Franciscan Third Order Regular
Description
Situated on lowlying ground, sheltered at W by a low N−S ridge, on the left bank of the river Moy, 4km S of the mouth of the river at Killala Bay. The Rosserk River, a small tributary of the Moy, is 200m to S. Moyne Abbey (MA022-024001-), a friary of the Franciscan Observant Order, is located at the estuary, 5km to N. Rosserk, a Friary of the Franciscan Third Order Regular (Tertiaries) was built in the early 1440's: The Calendar of Papal Registers records that in 1441/2 a licence was granted by Pope Eugenius IV for the foundation of Third Order houses at Rosserk, Ballymote (SL033-163001-) and Tisaxon (GA071-082003-), ‘to build a monastery or house of the said order, with churches, bells, bell-towers, oratories etc.’ (Twemlow 1912, 155-6). Rosserk is mentioned again in the Calendar of Papal Registers in 1448, when Pope Nicholas V reassigned a canonry of Achonry held by a secular priest, Philip Oculan who had joined Rosserk frairy: Oculan had held on to the Achonry benefice for three years despite having been professed as a friar (Twemlow 1915, 395). There is little mention of Rosserk in the historical record in succeeding years. The Joyce family are said to have been patrons of the community (McDermott 2011, 60; O’Hara 1898, 258). Following the Dissolution of Monasteries, the monks appeared to have stayed on for some time. However, the property was leased to James Garvey in the late 1570’s. The friary appears to have suffered attack in 1590 during the military campaign of Sir Richard Bingham, Governor of Connaught, and in 1595 the tithe of corn and hay belonging to the abbey was granted to Edmond Barrett (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 274; O'Hara 1898, 259). By 1641 the abbey, its buildings already falling into ruin, was in the possession of Richard Boyle, 1st earl of Cork (O'Hara 1898, 259). Rosserk is a National Monument in State ownership (No. 104). It is noteworthy as the most complete and well preserved friary of this order in Ireland. The monastery is compact and symmetrically laid out, comprising a long rectangular nave and chancel church with a central bell-tower, a chapel or ‘transept’ to the S of the nave, and to N of the church, three ranges of domestic buildings, enclosing the E, N and W sides of a cloister. The church is embellished with a finely carved main doorway, windows with intricate tracery, an elaborate piscina with a unique carving of a round tower, and an eclectic suite of decorative stone carvings, all typical of 15th-century Irish Gothic style. The buildings are constructed of roughly coursed and dressed limestone blocks, with dressed quoin stones. Plaster remains in some areas on the church walls. The nave (int. 13.40m E–W; 5.80m N–S) is entered through a doorway in the W gable, with ogee-headed hood-moulding, decorated with crockets and flanked by two pinnacles. There are vine-leaf motifs carved on the door jambs, one on the N jamb and two on the S jamb, each including two stylised flowers on a stem. Above this doorway is the only window in the nave, a double-light with switchline tracery; externally, it has a pointed hood with decoratively carved stops, a square stylised flower on the right and a concave square on the left. A pointed doorway at the E end of the N wall of the nave leads into the cloister. A pointed arch at the E end of the S wall opens into the S chapel or ‘transept’; the arch rests on two semi-octagonal engaged columns, with moulded capitals and bases. The S chapel/transept (int. 11.15m N–S; 6.20m E–W) has two large, arched altar recesses in the E wall, the N one with two pointed lancet windows, and the other with two pointed cinquefoil lights with a quatrefoil above. Each altar recess is furnished with a twin-arched piscina, recessed into the outer corner of its S wall. In the wall face intervening between the two altar recesses, a pointed doorway opens into a small room (int. 1.85m N–S; 1m E–W), built within the thickness of the wall; this room probably functioned as a sacristy for the flanking altars (O’Hara 1898, 259, Leask 1960, 111). The S wall of the chapel/transept has an elegant triple-light pointed window, with curvilinear cusped tracery. Each light has a cinquefoil head and above are four quatrefoils. An angel is carved on the inner frame of the window, holding the point of the arch moulding in his hands. Externally, the apex of the pointed hood-moulding is decorated with a small carving of a head, possibly a hooded friar, and another angel, with wings outstretched, is carved to the right of the window. The tall, slender bell tower, rising between the nave and chancel, is built of regularly coursed and dressed limestone blocks. It is supported by a ribbed vault on broad arches at the W and E. The internal ribs rest on corbels, below each of which is a low-relief carving: vine-leaf motifs to the NE and NW, which appear to grow from the point of the corbels, a lion to the SE and an angel to the SW. Beneath the arches, there are two pointed lancet windows in the N wall of the tower, and in the S wall, a pointed doorway leading into the S chapel. The different storeys of the tower are marked on the external wall face by string courses, and each level is lit by a variety of windows from plain single-lights to single and double ogee-headed lights. Crenellations survive at the top of the S and W walls. On each side below the upper floor there are five gutter/water spouts. The chancel (int. 10.60m E–W; 5.85m N–S) is dominated by the beautiful four-light E window, with its elaborate cusped, reticulated tracery. Each light is cinquefoil-headed, above which is a symmetrically array of eight quatrefoils. Externally, it has a pointed hood-moulding, decorated at the stops with carved stone heads of a man and a woman, each in 15th-century headdress. The plain, stone-built box-shaped high altar survives beneath the window. It is flanked in the S wall by an elaborate double-piscina, within a rib-vaulted recess with two small oculi or circular windows in the back wall. The recess is framed by two pointed arches under square hood-moulding, supported on three octagonal columns. The E engaged column features a unique, and finely executed, carving of a round tower (H c. 0.31m). The spandrels of the W arch are each decorated with an angel carrying Instruments of the Passion: one with a hammer, the other with three nails (McDermott 2011, 65); there is also an animal carved on the capital of the W column, perhaps a lion, symbol of St Mark the Evangelist. To the E of the piscina is an aumbry, a square recess for altar vessels There is a double-light window, with ogee-headed cinquefoils, above the piscina, and further W in the S wall, a double-light with rounded heads. The only window in the N wall of the chancel is a square opening at first floor level that allowed sick and disabled friars to follow services from the E range dormitory. A pointed doorway In the N wall, adjacent to a tomb niche, leads into the sacristy in the E range. The cloister square is accessed from the church through the doorway at the E end of the nave, and doorways also open onto it from the three domestic ranges. The cloister arcade is absent, but a path now outlines the ambulatory around the central grassy garth. Three two-storey domestic ranges enclose the cloister, each a separate gabled building, intersecting at their inner corners. Water/gutter spouts can be seen projecting from the exterior of the walls. The N wall of the W range is supported externally by a large rectangular buttress. The layout of each range is almost identical; each is comprised of three vaulted rooms at ground floor, with a large room at first floor level. Each of the ground floor rooms has a doorway opening onto the cloister, and each is lit by a rectangular window in the centre of its exterior wall. It is not possible now to determine the exact function of each of the vaulted rooms; some were used for the daily meetings and community activities, and others served as store rooms. In the E range at ground level, the S vaulted room is the sacristy (in. 5.10m N–S; 3.20m E–W), connecting directly to the chancel at S and the chapter room at N. Stairs in the thickness of the W wall lead to the upper storey. The chapter room (in. 5.90m E–W and 4.35m N–S) does not connect to the northern-most vaulted room (int. 5.90m N–S; 4.55m E–W). The N room has access to the exterior of the monastery through a doorway in the N wall. The upper floor of the E range served as the main dormitory (c. 12.75m N–S; 6.15m E–W), extending the full length of the range. It is lit by a row of four windows in both the W and E walls, all originally rectangular single lights, and in the N wall by a large double-light with ogee-heads, mullion and transom. A doorway at the N end of the dormitory opens into an E–W passage, which leads to a garderobe at its E end and to the upper floor of the N range its W end. In the N range at ground level, the E vaulted room (3.80m E–W; 4.85m N–S) has a mural stairs in the S wall, leading to the upper floor. The middle room (5.80m N–S; 3.55m E–W) does not connect to the E room, but has an interconnecting doorway with the W room (c. 5.8m N–S; 3m E–W). The W room has a pointed doorway in the W wall opening to the outside, and at the SW angle of the room another doorway opens to a small vestibule interconnecting with the cloister and the N room of the W range. The upper storey of the N range consists of two interconnecting rooms, separated by a two-sided fireplace with a single chimney. The larger room (6.55m E–W; 6.10m N–S) at E was most likely the refectory, and is well lit by windows in the N, E and S walls. In the N wall of the fireplace is a rectangular cupboard. The smaller W room (3.65 E–W; 6.10 N–S) was probably the kitchen, and has one round-headed light in the N wall, a wall cupboard in the W wall, and a round-headed doorway at the S end of the W wall, leading through a short passage to the upper floor of the W range. The W range is almost a mirror image of the E range, but none of the three vaulted ground floor rooms interconnects. The S room has a straight mural stairs in the E wall leading to the upper storey, which probably served as another dormitory, again extending the full length of the range, and featuring a small garderobe at its NW angle. At the S end of the W range, intervening between it and the church, there is an E–W passage, leading from the cloister to the outside world. Compiled by: Anne-Julie Lafaye and Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 2 July 2020
- MA022-082002 Graveyard
Description
At Rosserk Fransican Third Order Regular friary (MA022-082001-). In 1604 the friary consisted of ‘1 acre in which there was a church and cemetery and other ruinous buildings’ O’Hara (1898, 259, note 1). There is now no trace of a graveyard at ground level. A number of graveslabs or memorials of 18th-/19th-century date can be seen within the friary church. A tomb, dedicated to the Mangan family, as well as a broken graveslab, dated 1857, are located beneath the bell tower, and another graveslab, fragmented into two, inscribed with INRI and HIS (Jesus Hominen Salvator), flanked by a cross and two carved heads, is located in the chapel/transept. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 2 July 2020
- MA022-082004 Earthwork
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.
- MA022-083001 Ritual site - holy well
Description
In pasture, located at the base of a S-facing slope in a narrow stream valley, c. 50m to NW of the mouth of the stream where it debouches into the estuary of the River Moy. This holy well in named ‘Tobermurry’ on the 1838 and 1929 OS 6-inch maps. It consists of a spring well enclosed within a rectangular, stone-built well house (2.70m E-W; 3.2m N-S; H 1.18m at N gable, 2.10m at S gable), which is built into the base of the natural slope. The walls (T 0.63m) are of roughly coursed, mortared rubble, and the pitched roof is of roughly overlapping mortared stone slabs. At the apex of the S gable is a stone on which a plain Latin cross is engraved. Beneath this, two stone plaques are set in the gable wall, one above the other. The larger, uppermost plaque bears two engraved inscriptions, one in English and one in Latin. The upper inscription is in English and reads: ‘This Chapell was built in Honour of the Blessed Virgin In the year of Our Lord 1798 by John Lynott of Rosserk Esq’ An engraving of a bird, probably a dove, flanked by the words Pax et Amor, separates the English inscription from the Latin inscription beneath. The 1838 OS Letters (O’Flanagan 1927, 86) record the latter as reading: ‘Discite justiciam moniti et non temnere divos [divis?] Mortem non timeo, Mors est in limine nostro. Dicessem [Decessem?] A monle [monte?] velut unla solis [umbra solis?] ----[effaced]’ Directly beneath the large plaque, is a smaller inscribed stone (MA022-083002-) which is said to have been at the well before the well house was constructed by Lynott. It bears a Latin inscription dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, with the date 1684. Beneath the two plaques, there is a square aperture or window (Wth 0.41m; H 0.42m) set 0.5m above ground level, which provides a view into the interior of the well house. At the S end of the W wall, a lintelled doorway (Wth 0.53m; H 0.75m), paved with stone, gives access to the pool which fills the entire interior space of the well house. There is a small lintelled recess or cupboard in the interior face of the E wall. The outflow from the well emerges beneath the S gable into an open channel (Wth 0.2m) which carries the water through marshy ground for c. 15m to ESE, where it joins the stream that flow through the valley. A hawthorn bush grows from the N end of the well house roof. The popularity of the well as a focus of pilgrimage was increased by a Marion apparition, reputed to have occurred at the well in the 17th century. A penitential station (MA022-083002-) is located immediately to the SW. MA022-083001-_01.JPG Holy well viewed form W MA022-083001-_03.JPG Holy well viewed form W MA022-083001-_04.JPG Holy well viewed form NW MA022-083001-_05.JPG Holy well viewed form S MA022-083001-_06.JPG S facade MA022-083001-_07.JPG Interior of well Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 7 May 2019
- MA022-083002 Inscribed stone
Description
At a holy well (MA022-083001), built into the S gable of the stone-built well house. According to the 1838 OS Letters (O’Flanagan 1927, 86), this 17th-century inscribed stone was already at the well prior to the construction of the well house in 1789, when it was incorporated into the facade. The Latin inscription is dedicated to the Most Blessed Virgin, who according to tradition appeared at the well, and it states that the stone was commissioned in 1684 by Father Moriartus Crehn. The inscription is now partly effaced and difficult to read; the 1838 OS Letters record it as follows: In honorum Dei omnipotentis. Beatifsimae Virginis Sine labe concepta et omnium santctorum celestis Curia me fieri fecit Pater Moriartus Crehn Aug + 30 + 1684 Attached image: MA022-083002-_01.JPG Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 7 May 2019
- MA022-083003 Penitential station
Description
In pasture, located 0.9m to SW of a holy well (MA022-083001-). An irregular-shaped, partly sod-covered cairn (3.5m N-S; 2.5m E-W) of small and medium-sized stones, rising to a rounded peak (H 0.8m) at N, but with low slumping sides (H 0.15m) at S-SE. It is associated with pilgrimage activity at the holy well. Attached image: MA022-083003-_01.JPG Penitential cairn on left side (SW) of well Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 7 May 2019
- MA022-124001 Midden
Description
Located on the W shoreline at the narrow S end of the estuary of the River Moy. There are a number of small islands in the river at this point which are accessible across exposed sandflats at low tide. The midden is exposed in section towards the base of an almost vertical earthen scarp (H 1.5-2m) which serves as a field boundary defining the land edge bordering the river. The midden is visible as a dense layer (L c. 20m; T 0.2m) of cockle shells, with very occasional razor shells and periwinkles. The composition of the midden -predominantly cockle shells- reflects the local habitat of tidal sandflats. Traces of another midden (MA022-124002-) are located c. 25m to N exposed in section in the same scarp. Rosserk Abbey (MA022-082001-) is located c. 80m to S. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 17 June 2016
- MA022-124002 Midden
Description
Located in a vertical scarp, which forms the land edge on the W shoreline at the narrow S end of the estuary of the River Moy. There are a number of small islands in the river at this point, which are accessible across exposed sandflats at low tide. A thin lens (L 0.6m; T 0.04-0.05m) of fragmentary cockle shells is visible in section in the earthen scarp (H 1.3m) at a height of c. 0.5-0.6mm above the base of the scarp. A single periwinkle shell was noted amongst the cockle shells. The lower parts of the scarp are covered by bright-green algae which may conceal the full extent of the midden. Another midden (MA022-124001-) is located 25m to S, exposed in section in the same scarp. Rosserk Abbey (MA022-082001-) is located c. 100m to S. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 17 June 2016
Architectural heritage
No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands in the townland of Rosserk.
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).
Ground and risks
Radon, landslides, flooding
- Radon
- At the centre of the townland of Rosserk, about 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home
- Landslides
- The 1:50,000 map rates the landslide susceptibility here as moderately high, moderately low, low, partly inferred.
- Terrain model
- LiDAR of the Office of Public Works, flown in 2011, at 2 m: tile OPW_387 (ZIP).
- Flooding
- The Office of Public Works publishes its flood maps on floodinfo.ie.
Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, and Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland, both under 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.
Homes sold
Property Price Register
No address of the register names Rosserk with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Mayo.
The townland
- Name
- Rosserk · Ros Eirc
- Area
- 4,434,801 m² (443.48 ha, 1,095.86 acres)
- Civil parish
- Ballysakeery, and its townlands
- Barony
- Tirawley
- Electoral division
- Ballysakeery, the unit of the census
- Census 2022
- 620 people lived in 222 households in the Ballysakeery electoral division. 88% of households owned their home. 36% of homes were built since 2001. 9% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 2% were holiday homes.
- Neighbouring townlands
- Ballysakeery, Broadlands or Knockafarson, Carrowkelly, Coonealcauraun, Coonealmore, Derreens, Knockalough, Lecarrow, Newtownwhite, Rathroeen
- Placenames
- Rosserk 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.