Kish-Ombor Bog Track Cluster (Ballycroy, Mayo)
Ballycroy Neolithic Toghers · Kish Bog Oak Roads
Neolithic to Iron Age (Céide to La Tène)·Mayo Neolithic to Iron Age·🇮🇪 County Mayo, Ballycroy National Park, Owenduff Bog, Ireland
About
About Kish-Ombor Bog Track Cluster (Ballycroy, Mayo)
Atlantic blanket bog trackway cluster (35 m asl, 54°07′12″N 09°27′00″W 54.12,-9.45 Ballycroy Owenduff) within Wild Nephin Ballycroy National Park, Neolithic to Iron Age (3700-200 BCE) 7 toghers on 2.2 km corridor linking Céide Fields (3200 BCE) coastal fields to inland, the densest Mayo togher swarm after Corlea. Tracks include: Kish-1 3700 BCE brushwood (pre-Céide), Ombor 2400 BCE split-oak causeway, and later 800 BCE plankways; Owenduff bog 6 m deep preserves oak at 2.5 m. National Park blanket bog SAC protects; pollen shows Neolithic pine to bog transition simultaneous with Céide walling.
Why it mattersLargest Neolithic to Iron Age togher cluster linking Céide Fields to bogland.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Céide synchronous walling
Theories
- 01Coastal-inland neolithic highway
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.3700-200 BCE (seven phases)
- Period
- Neolithic to Iron Age (Céide to La Tène)
- Culture
- Mayo Neolithic to Iron Age
- Builders
- Owenduff bog fringe farmers
- Purpose
- Coastal-inland trans-bog transport to Céide Fields
- Abandoned
- c.150 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 2010 Ballycroy National Park bog survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
3700 BCE
Kish-1 brushwood earliest togher
3200 BCE
Céide Fields walling contemporary
2010
Owenduff 7-togher mapping
On the ground
Structures & features
54.1200° N · 9.4500° W · 35 m · 2 mapped features
Kish-1 Neolithic Brushwood Togher
structure3700 BCE brushwood 0.7 m wide at 2.5 m depth
54.1220° N · 9.4520° WOmbor Split-Oak Causeway
structure2400 BCE split-oak 1.2 m causeway 340 m long
54.1180° N · 9.4480° W