1992:176 - BALLYNAHOWNWOOD, Westmeath

During the Wetland Unit 1992 survey, a gravel road or paved way was identified in Bloomhill Bog, Cos Offaly and Westmeath. This paved way, known as part of the 'Pilgrim's Road' to nearby Clonmacnoise had already been excavated in the 1980s by Thaddeus Breen (Excavations 1986, 32). Unfortunately, the bog levels have steadily fallen during the interim period and the entire road is currently under threat. It was decided, therefore, that a short stretch should be examined before any further action takes place. The area chosen for this excavation was at the opposite (Westmeath) end of the bog to that where Breen's excavations had concentrated.

The road links the large bog island of Bloomhill with the north-eastern perimeter of the bog and is some 1.2km in length. A small 6m x 4m cutting was opened in an area where the road was almost on the surface of the bog. The excavation revealed a complex structure almost entirely constructed of stone and gravel. Although wooden elements had been reported previously, no organic content was found in the excavated area. The road is situated however, near a concentration of wooden toghers, all of which appeared to have been constructed prior to the gravel road. The road was constructed of a dense layer of gravel, some 3.1m in width. This gravel layer was some 0.46m in depth at the middle but tapered off towards the sides. On top of this gravel layer, a thin layer of clay and sand had been placed and used as bedding for large sandstone flags. The flags formed a reasonably level upper surface of some 2m in width. They averaged 1.4m by 0.95m in size and were generally 0.1m to 0.15m in thickness.

These flags may have been originally quarried from Bloomhill Island where they have been identified in the past. A thin layer of brushwood was placed over the flags, presumably as conditions on the road surface became wetter. This brushwood was in very poor condition and often could not be identified from the organic peat layer above it. This peat layer represents the intrusion by the bog over the road. Soon after this however, an attempt was made to repair the road and a further layer of gravel, similar to the original foundation layer, was placed over the surface. This layer was generally 0.1m thick and spread some 2.4m in width over the road. Both phases of construction had been subject to severe wash-out and light clay and silt layers were washed off the road to a considerable distance on either side. Interaction with the upper peat levels had also further disturbed the road layers. No finds were recorded from this stretch of the road.