County: Kildare Site name: KILKEA LOWER
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 99E0587
Author: Niall Gregory
Site type: Road - road/trackway
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 674790m, N 689505m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.951115, -6.887042
Monitoring of the Ballyvass–Athy Bord Gáis pipeline corridor (see Excavations 2000, No. 465) revealed a wetland site of archaeological potential, which was excavated between 19 and 27 August 1999.
The site is close to and north of Kilkea Castle and consisted of a 7.7m-long, tangentially split, half tree trunk. Its split surface was laid facing upwards. This surface showed evidence of axemarks; the remainder of the trunk’s surface remained untreated and faced downwards. The trunk was oriented north–south and was placed so that it extended into a wetland zone from an area of dry ground. The southern extent of the site was excavated; the remainder extended beyond the area of excavation. Although no artefacts or other materials were found on the site, it is possible that this may form part of a route to and from the castle.
Editor’s note: The summary of this excavation, which was carried out during 1999, arrived too late for publication in the bulletin of that year.
Flat 1, Main Street, Blessington, Co. Wicklow
