1999:734 - CASTLETOWN BOG, Castlearmstrong, Offaly

The following excavations (Nos 734–43 and 752–58 below) were carried out in the Lemanaghan area of County Offaly as part of the Bord na Móna Archaeological Mitigation Project. They were undertaken to resolve known archaeological sites so that Bord na Móna could resume peat production in areas that had been cleared of archaeology. The fieldwork took place from June to September 1999.

The Lemanaghan complex of bogs is north of the River Brosna, between the towns of Ballycumber and Ferbane. This work concentrated in Castletown (99E0287–92), Tumbeagh (99E0377–8 and 99E0404–6) and Killaghintober bogs (99E0444–8), in which a total of eighteen excavations, comprising 35 individual cuttings, were completed. Areas of brushwood structures found close to each other were excavated in Castletown Bog (99E0287–91), as well as a linear plank trackway (99E0326). Three brushwood toghers (99E03778 and 99E0405), a brushwood platform (99E0404) and a linear plank trackway (99E406) were excavated in Tumbeagh Bog. Three linear plank trackways and a brushwood togher were excavated in Killaghintober Bog (99E0444-8).

Castletown Bog, Castlearmstrong
This site was a brushwood togher that extended on the Bord na Móna field surface for a distance of 31m. Excavation revealed a partially milled brushwood togher 0.75m wide and 0.23m deep. The site was composed of three layers of wood overlying each other. The upper layer was a substantial layer of longitudinal brushwood rods infilled with packing material and held in place with pegs. The upper longitudinals were ten to twelve rods wide and three to four rods deep at the best-preserved section of the togher. The longitudinals all ran in a north-west/south-east direction and measured 10–45mm in diameter. The spaces between the longitudinals were infilled with a packing material of twigs and small brushwood. This layer was the upper walking surface of the togher.

The brushwood associated with the second and third layers was less substantial than the upper longitudinals. The size of the wood ranged from tiny twigs to brushwood rods up to 42mm in diameter. The brushwood averaged 20mm in diameter. There were more twigs in this layer. Most of the brushwood and twigs ran longitudinally. The twigs along the western extent of the cutting had a more haphazard arrangement. Pegs were found along the outer edges of the trackway, preventing horizontal movement of the togher. The togher was traced for 25m. It is possible that it was constructed across a short stretch of particularly wet bog that could otherwise not have been crossed.

Windsor House, 11 Fairview Strand, Fairview, Dublin 3