Carrowcastle

50 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Carrowcastle, from 428 m² to 78,653 m² (7.87 ha, 19.44 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary. 29 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.

No zone of a development plan covers Carrowcastle 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.

• 24 Sept 2021Conditional

  CONSTRUCTION OF A SINGLE NEW DWELLING HOUSE AND DETACHED DOMESTIC GARAGE, INSTALLATION OF A NEW WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM AND POLISHING FILTER AND ALL ANCILLARY WORKS

  Permission, 1 home · Mayo County Council, 211023

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 the townland of Carrowcastle.

Recorded monuments

• MA071-062 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  In pasture, straddling the narrow top of a N−S ridge. The rath spans almost the full E−W width of the ridge top, with an abrupt fall of ground immediately to W of the rath, and a more gradual slope to E. There are good views eastwards over undulating terrain, and to SW−W over a flat, lowlying expanse of wet land. Raised circular platform (47.6m E−W; 43m N−S) defined by a scarp (H 1.65m at E, 1.55m at W; Wth slope 2.7m at E, 2m at W). The scarp is levelled on the N arc and is incorporated into a later E−W field fence on the S arc. At SSW−NNW the rath scarp drops to a terrace/berm-like feature (Wth 2.7m) which mirrors the curve of the rath, and is defined on its outer edge by a scarp (H 0.65m; Wth slope 2.2m); this is likely to be the remnants of an original fosse or outer enclosing feature. The interior has a slight slope down from centre to NE−E. There is no clearly defined entrance, but there is a low, eroded section (Wth 2m) in the scarp at SW, at the junction with the E-W field fence. Interior is grassy; gorse bushes and hawthorn trees around the perimeter. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 6 August 2021

• MA071-066 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  In improved pasture, located on the undulating top of a ridge, just below the summit which overlooks the site to E. Ground falls steeply at S and W into a small valley of wettish pasture, with a stream which skirts the base of the ridge slope. Slightly raised circular area (27.8 m N−S; 30.3m E−W) defined by a scarp (H 1.6m at E, 2m at W) which retains a slightly raised internal rim in parts. The scarp is incorporated into a stone field fence at SW−N, and the external slope (H 2m) on the SW arc is faced with stone to a height of 1m. A gap (Wth 3.4m) at ENE may be an original entrance. The interior is fairly level. A possible house (MA071-066001-), evident as a slightly raised subrectangular area (6.4m N−S; 12.5m ENE−WSW) defined by a low stony rise/wall footings, occupies much of the centre and W half of the interior space. A low oval stony rise (7m E−W; 2.8m N−S), possibly a field clearance cairn, abuts its SE side. A barely discernible, narrow depression (Wth 2) extends in straight line from the S side of the possible house to the rath scarp at S. Two low slabs or large stones protrude at an angle from the ground surface in the SW quadrant close to the rath scarp. The rath is ringed with hawthorn and blackthorn trees, which also encroach on the interior. The interior surface is rather dilapidated and strewn with stones. A field wall skirts the rath at NE−S. There is another rath (MA071-067----) 175m to NE. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 6 August 2021

• MA071-066001 House - indeterminate date
  Description

  In the interior of a rath (MA071-066----). A very slightly raised subrectangular feature (6.4m NNE–SSW; 12.5m ESE–WNW) defined by a low stony rise/possible wall footings (Wth 1.5m) occupies most of the available space in the centre and W of the rath interior. The N and S side are straight, but rounded corners at the NE and SE give the E side a curved appearance. The W side is poorly preserved. The significance of this feature is uncertain –it may be the foundations of a house. Abutting the wall at the SE is a low, oval, stony rise (2.8m E–W; 7m N–S), possibly a field clearance cairn. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 6 August 2021

• MA071-067 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  In the SW corner of a field of improved pasture, located on the top of a ridge, with good views W−N−E. It is overlooked at S by the rising spine of the ridge. Circular platform (29m N−S; 27m E−W) defined at SE−SW by a low, degraded bank (Wth 4.7m; int. H 0.5m; ext. H 1.1m, at S) with a broad internal slump, and elsewhere by a scarp (ext. H 1.9m; Wth slope 3m, at N). At NNE a portion (L 10m) of the scarp has been dug away. There is no clearly defined entrance; there are low, eroded area (Wth c. 2m) in the scarp at NE and a broadly slumped, eroded section (Wth c. 3m) at NW. The interior slopes down slightly from S to N, and is traversed by prominent relict cultivation ridges on a roughly N−S axis. The rath perimeter is ringed with hawthorn, blackthorn and brambles; the interior is grassy, with occasional clumps of brambles. Field clearance debris is dumped immediately to SW of the rath at the intersection of the two fences. There is another rath (MA071-066----) 175m to SW. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 6 August 2021

• MA071-069 Church
  Description

  In improved pasture, located on top of a ridge, with excellent views in all directions, 30m NNE of an earthwork castle (MA071-070----). A rectangular building (c. 15m NNE−SSW; c. 8m WNW−ESE) is shown on the 1838 OS 6-inch map and is named ‘Carrowcastle Church’; by the time of the of the 1931 edition only a single wall oriented NW−SE is shown, and is annotated ‘Carrowcastle Church (in Ruins)’. The remains consist of a fragment of free-standing wall (L 5m NNW−SSE; T 0.8m; H 3.1m). It is constructed of roughly coursed, mortared limestone and sandstone blocks, with larger stones/boulders incorporated into the lower courses. The W face of the wall (probably the exterior) features courses of very large, blocks, irregular and squarish in shape, alternate with thin courses of narrow, horizontally-laid stones. The E wall face is constructed with stones of a more even and regular size. A slight grass-covered stony rise (Wth 2m) abuts the E side of the wall, extending along its length. No other trace of the church is visible. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 6 August 2021

• MA071-070 Castle - motte
  Description

  In improved pasture, prominently sited on top of a ridge, with excellent views in all directions. A substantially raised oval platform (49m NNE−SSW; 35m WNW−ESE) defined by a broadly sloping scarp (4.3m at W, 1.6-2m at E; Wth slope 5.8m at W, 6-9m at E), enhanced by the natural fall of ground at W−N. The platform has been greatly damaged by quarrying –most of the S third has been deeply dug away, and a portion of the scarp (L 10m) at NW has also been damaged. Low stones protrude randomly along the top of the scarp at W. The scarp at SSW−WNW drops steeply to a berm or terrace (Wth 4.6m) defined on its outer edge by a scarp (H 2.3m) cut into the ridge slope. The terrace has slightly a raised lip on its outer edge at it N end. The terrace ends abruptly at its SSW and WNW terminals, where it appears to have been dug away. The interior is level at W and N, but there is a gradual slope down from the centre to E towards the entrance, which consists of a markedly, slightly ramp-like slump in the scarp. Wall footings on a roughly E-W axis, visible as a low, narrow grassy rise (Wth 0.6-0.8m; H 0.2m), cross the interior to N of centre. This may be a rath, but its bulk, size and prominent location, as well as the proximity of a church (MA071-069----) 30m to NNE, suggest that it is more likely to be some form of motte or ringwork. There is a possible tower house (MA071-071----) 300m to SE. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 6 August 2021

• MA071-071 Castle - tower house
  Description

  In pasture, prominently sited on a spur of raised ground, with a steep, abrupt fall of ground at SE−S, dropping to a flat expanse of wet, boggy land. It is overlooked to NW by a ridge on top of which there is a possible motte (MA071-070----) and a church (MA-071-069----). A rectangular building is shown at this location on the 1838 OS 6-inch map, annotated ‘Castle (in ruins)’, and the 25-inch plan also depicts a rectangular building (9-10m NW−SE; 6-9m NE−SW). A subrectangular hachured feature is shown on the 1931 edition. It may have been a tower house. The remains consist of a low, subcircular grass-covered mound (diam. c. 20-25m at base, c. 16m at top; H 1.5-1.7m) defined by an irregular, uneven scarp, which merges with and is enhanced by the steep natural slope at SE−SW. The top and slopes of the mound have been damaged by quarrying. Stones protrude randomly from the mound but no traces of a masonry structure are visible. Field walls shown to N of the castle on the 1838 and 1931 OS 6-inch maps have been removed. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 6 August 2021

• MA071-192 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  In improved pasture, on a low ridge, overlooking a flat expanse of lowlying, wettish land to SE−S, and overlooked to W by rising ground on which a church (MA071-069----) and an earthwork castle (MA071-070----) are located. A D-shaped enclosure (max. dim. c. 15m) outlined by a solid line is shown on the 1838 OS 6-inch map; it is not shown on later map editions. It is record in an aerial photograph (SMR file: GSI M 690 -1; Roll 217, pr. 30). This possible rath is known in local tradition as a 'fort' named 'Rath Eilbhin (Elvin)'. The remains consist of a raised earthen platform (15m N−S; 15m E−W), an irregular D-shape in plan. It is defined at ENE−SSW by a curving scarp (H 1.8m at E, 1.4m at S), by a straight N−S scarp (H 1.1m) on the W side and by a quarry pit (c. 12m N−S) on the N side. This may represent the surviving SE quadrant of an originally circular enclosure/rath. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 24 September 2021

Architectural heritage

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

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

At the centre of the townland of Carrowcastle, about 1 in 5 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.

Terrain model

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

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.

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

Name

Carrowcastle · Ceathrú an Chaisleáin

Area

1,191,329 m² (119.13 ha, 294.38 acres)

Civil parish

Bohola, and its townlands

Barony

Gallen

Electoral division

Strade, the unit of the census

Census 2022

647 people lived in 239 households in the Strade electoral division. 91% of households owned their home. 27% of homes were built since 2001. 16% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 5% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Ardacarha, Ashbrook, Bohola, Carrowgowan, Grallagh, Lisgormin, Oughtagh

Placenames

Carrowcastle 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.