The Deserted Village at Slievemore consists of some 80 to 100 stone cottages located along a mile long stretch of road on the southern slopes of Slievemore mountain.
While some of these dwellings were occupied as summer homes within living memory, the area itself is rich in archaeological artefacts including megalithic tombs dating from the Neolithic period some 5,000 years ago.
Slievemore is the largest and most recently abandoned of several ‘booley’ settlements on Achill Island.
The practice of booleying, or transhumance, was continued in Achill long after it was abandoned in other parts of Ireland and western Europe.
It refers to the practice of living in different locations during the summer and winter periods, primarily to allow cattle to graze in summer pasture.
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