Current research

• Reconstruction of Holocene environments in connection with NRA road-building programmes (M6 and M18)
• Cereal cultivation in the Aran Islands - investigations funded by the Heritage Council
• See also Staff - graduate researchers

Project title: Reconstruction of Holocene environments (M6 and M18 routes)

Investigations of a peat core from Ballinphuill Bog, north of Loughrea (M6) 

A pollen diagram, elaborated by Karen Molloy with assistance from Ingo Feeser, provides evidence for farming and its impact on woodland cover and composition in the area adjoining Rahally hillfort. The profile has a well defined Elm Decline and a pronounced Neolithic Landnam that spanned the interval 3700–3400 BC. Beginning in the late Neolithic/early Bronze Age (2400 BC) there is evidence for renewed farming. In the early and mid Bronze Age, farming was most intensive in the intervals 2300–2050 and 1600–1250 BC. In the late Bronze Age (c. 1000 BC) farming activity again increased substantially and a high level of activity was maintained until the late Iron Age. A distinct Late Iron Age Lull was recorded (AD 200–400) which was followed by strong human impact, especially from c. AD 800 onwards. Cereal growing, which had already assumed importance by about AD 800, increased in importance at about AD 1200. Final woodland clearance and creation of an open landscape dates to about AD 1500.

Publications 
Molloy, K., Feeser, I. and O’Connell, M. 2010. A new pollen record from east Galway: fresh insights into farming and woodland dynamics in mid-western Ireland from the Neolithic to recent times. In: Schulting, R.J., Whitehouse N.J. and McClatchie, M. (eds.), Living landscapes: exploring Neolithic Ireland and its wider context. Archaeopress (BAR), Oxford. (in press).

Molloy, K., Feeser, I. and O’Connell, M. 2010. Vegetation and farming history. In McKeon, J. and O’Sullivan, J. (ed.), The quiet landscape: archaeological and palaeoecological investigations on the M6 Galway to Ballinasloe National Road Scheme. National Roads Authority Excavations Monograph, National Roads Authority, Dublin (in press).

A. Map of western region of Ireland between Galway city and the river Shannon. Location of Ballinphuill Bog is indicated by a closed circle; also shown: Rahilly hillfort, Clonmacnoise, sites where pollen investigations have been recently carried out (open circles), centres of population and main road network (National and selected Regional routes prior to construction of M6 motorway).

B. A partly schematic sketch showing coring locations (recorded by Garmin GPSmap 60CSx), transects T1–T4, gouge cores numbered G1–G14 and location of the cores BPH2 and BPH3, that were used for detailed analyses. In the case of the gouge cores, depth (in cm) is indicated. Presence of marl (never >1 m thick) and Late-glacial sediments (including marl) are indicated by M and LG, respectively.

C. Aerial view of Ballinphuill Bog and surrounding field system including a small conifer plantation at the north-east end (photograph © Ordnance Survey of Ireland. All rights reserved. Licence no. 2003/07CCMA/Galway County Council).

Reconstruction of farming and woodland dynamics at Caheraphuca, Crusheen (M18)

This involves pollen analytical investigations by Karen Molloy based on a sediment core taken from a small lake, Caheraphuca Lough.
The area harboured a particularly dense concentration of fulachta fia (burnt mounds).

Palaeoenvironmental investigations at Kilbegly, Co. Roscommon, the site of a horizontal watermill (M6)

Pollen analytical investigations by Anette Overland of short monoliths, moss samples (from a fulacht fia and from beneath the mill flume) and a peat core have provided insights into the local environment at Kilbegly from the Bronze Age to high medieval times.

The evidence for farming in Ireland (with particular reference to mid-western Ireland) is reviewed.

Publications
Overland, A. and O'Connell, M. 2010. New insights into late Holocene farming and woodland dynamics in western Ireland with particular reference to the early medieval horizontal watermill at Kilbegly, Co. Roscommon. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology

Overland, A. and O'Connell, M. 2010. Reconstruction of the past environment at Kilbegly: palaeoecological investigations. In: Jackman, N., Moore, C., Rynne, C. and Devane, C. (eds). The mill at Kilbegly. Archaeological Investigation of an early medieval horizontal mill and other excavations on the N6 Ballinasloe to Athlone road scheme. National Roads Authority Archaeology Scheme Monographs Series. The National Roads Authority, Dublin (in press).

1. Overview towards south-west of the horizontal-mill site during excavation (Kilbegly 2; 24/07/2007). A recent drain runs diagonally across the photograph. An arrow points to a dot that marks the location of core KLB-U2. A mire once occupied the basin, including the area with forestry in the background.

2. Sampling peat (mainly mosses) from beneath the flume. The flume and part of undercroft are shown (view from east side; 22/08/2007).

Project title: Cereal cultivation on the Aran Islands

A project entitled Traditional farming on the Aran Islands: focus on cereal fields includes a survey to determine the extend of cereal cultivation at present.
Surface pollen samples collected in the 1980s/90s and during this survey, mainly in the vicinity of rye fields, are being analysed with a view to investigating the expression of cereal growing in fossil pollen records.

The project is funded by the Heritage Council (2010; ref no. R00577) and carried out by Karen Molloy and Michael O’Connell.

Photos from Inis Meáin (16/06/2010). LHS: relatively large field with rye and potatoes. RHS: aerial view of same part of Inis Meáin

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