INTRODUCTION In early January 2014, Dooagh Beach, on the southern side of Achill Island, Co. Mayo, was severely affected when high tides were driven inland by powerful southerly winds (Fig. 1). Members of Achill Archaeological Field School identified a large area of peat that had previously been covered by a deep bed of shingle and the seaward edge of a car park that had been ripped apart by the waves (Fig. 2). A single tree- root system was exposed towards the base of the peat, but during examination of the peat for signs of early habitation it slowly became apparent that the curiously undulating upper surface actually represented a previously unrecognised type of archaeological site belonging to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The upper surface of the peat was covered in steep-sided cuts filled with shingle and seaweed (Fig. 3). At first it was assumed that these cuts resulted from either the sea eroding weaker points in the peat bed or water flowing down onto the beach and cutting channels into the peat. During a second, more detailed examination, however, it was established that these cuts were large, subrectangular, vertically sided pits that had been carefully excavated into the peat.The force of the high seas had blasted the loose fills out of many of them, and the waves had subsequently dumped shingle and seaweed into the newly emptied holes. Close examination of the pits revealed that large mammal bones were present in some of them where portions of the lower fills had survived in situ. It was decided at this point that whenever time was available the site should be monitored, as further high seas continued to affect it throughout January and February 2014. During this monitoring process it became apparent that there were far more pits present than had been noticed initially, and that a number of the pits towards the back of the beach had survived with their fills largely or fully intact. Where bones were found lying loosely on the upper surfaces of the pits, they were collected before they were washed away by the next high waters. It became obvious that the site needed to be surveyed in detail in order to properly understand its size and complexity. A plan of the site was recorded using a high-precision hand-held GPS unit combined with a traditional tape survey, and a photographic record was created. During work on the survey it was noticed that the beach itself was strewn with animal bones. It was decided to collect as many of these unstratified bones as possible, even though their original place of deposition could not be determined. Two horseshoes were discovered in the disturbed portions of two otherwise intact pits. The relatively The Journal of Irish Archaeology Volume XXV, 2016 123–140 Excavation of a farm animal burial ground at Dooagh Beach, Achill Island, Co. Mayo Stuart Rathbone, 1 David Blauvelt 2 and Theresa McDonald 3 1 CERIS, Department of Environmental Science, IT Sligo, Ash Lane, Co. Sligo, Ireland (rathbone_stuart@hotmail.com) 2 45 College Avenue, Somerville, Massachusetts, USA 3 Achill Archaeological Field School, Dooagh, Achill, Co. Mayo, Ireland Heavy storms during January 2014 exposed an extensive peat bed at Dooagh Beach, Achill Island, Co. Mayo, which had previously been concealed by shingle and by part of a car park. Examination of the peat bed identified 26 rect- angular pits cut into its upper surface. Large animal bones were visible within the intact pit fills, lying loosely within some of the pits that had been partially emptied by the waves and along the adjacent shingle beach. A small excavation was undertaken in order to determine whether the pits contained articulated burials or disarticulated bones resulting from waste disposal.Two pits were selected for excavation and each was found to contain an articulated pony skeleton. Bone preservation was extremely good and analysis of the remains revealed a wealth of information about the condition of the animals. Although only two pits were excavated, it is suggested that the rest of the pits probably contain burials of horses and cattle. Based on local information and historical sources, it is argued that the site may have been established in the late nineteenth century and continued in use until the middle of the twentieth century.The discovery of a burial ground for large farm animals in this location represents a previously unknown type of archaeological site.The necessity for such a burial ground is considered in terms of the isolation of the village of Dooagh and the lack of access to a facility where large animal carcasses could be processed.The position of the burial ground is considered in terms of the development of the village of Dooagh over the last 200 years.