County: Longford Site name: DERRYAD, Cloonfore
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0521
Author: Noel Dunne, ADS Ltd.
Site type: Road - class 2 togher
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 605240m, N 768434m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.665637, -7.920698
This togher is visible for a distance of 23m, extending east–west across the surface of two adjacent milled fields. Two cuttings were opened, one in each field. The western cutting revealed that the togher was formed with a dense band of light brushwood and twigs and had a probable original width of 1.25m. Most of the elements were arranged longitudinally in a west-north-west/east-south-east direction, though some transverse rods were also present. Up to 23 light brushwood and twig pegs were uncovered. These generally had broken or snapped tips and often occurred in clusters. Some of the clusters were used to hold the transverses in position. The surface of the togher sloped downwards towards the south-south-west side. A hurdle was placed over the lower, south-south-west side and was separated from the togher by a thin lens of peat with an average thickness of 50mm. Five light brushwood sails were orientated north-north-east/south-south-west, and a band of light brushwood and twig rods, 0.65m wide, was woven around their north-north-east ends. A heavy brushwood runner that was 2.63m long and orientated north-east/south-west supported the hurdle. A strip of leather, folded along its length and perforated along the fold, was recovered from the peat lens sandwiched between the two features.
The second cutting uncovered three patches of badly milled-out and degraded brushwood. Two of the areas probably represent the remains of an east–west togher that was composed predominantly of longitudinal light brushwood and twigs. Some light brushwood transverses were also present. The togher had an original width of c. 1.28m. The third patch may represent a separate band of light brushwood and twigs that was laid down parallel to the north side of the togher.
Reference:
Whitaker, J. and Dunne, N. 2019. Final Excavation Report for Derryad Bog (Licences: 00E0516-00E0522), Irish Archaeological Consultancy, Ltd., 2019. Unpublished report prepared by IAC Archaeology.
Windsor House, 11 Fairview Strand, Fairview, Dublin 3
