1997:521 - DER75, Killoran, Tipperary

This was a wooden track leading to a hurdle, built in four phases, dating from 385–50 BC. The initial phase of the track comprised bundles of substantial roundwood running in an east–west direction for 30m in length and 1.5m in width. This was heavily pegged and heavily decayed. In Phase 2 a hurdle was added to the eastern end of this structure—some years later, judging by the relative condition of the wood. In Phase 3 a bundle of brushwood was laid on top of this, leading to DER312 (Excavations 1997, No. 522). This could have happened very soon after the hurdle was laid. Later again, in Phase 4, more roundwood was added to the top of the structure, perhaps as a repair or a resurfacing.

The site ran out from a firm base of alder carr, across a pool of bog bean and up to the edge of a ‘field’ of rannock rush. This open-water pool began just south of the track, near its eastern terminus, and ran for about 50m northwards. The track was designed to deal with these changing peat types. The section on the alder carr itself was less substantial than the section crossing the bog bean. The hurdle began at the edge of the pool and was a perfect structure for bearing weight in such wet conditions. While the carr was about 20m north and 20m south of the site, there were also alder trees immediately beside the track. These could have acted as anchors and foundations.

The hurdle was 7.2m in length, the longest yet recorded in Ireland. Its weave was simple: single rods woven around single sails. The longest rod was 2.75m and double rods came from overlapping the weave to increase the length. The sails averaged 30mm in diameter, the only double sail providing extra strength to smaller pieces of wood. Where the hurdle was covered by brushwood it was very well preserved. Where it was exposed as a working surface it was slightly damaged. Where the roundwood used for repair was laid on the exposed section, it was destroyed completely.

Minorco Lisheen Ltd, Killoran, Moyne, Co. Tipperary