County: Offaly Site name: BALLYKILLEEN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 03E0869
Author: Eoin Corcoran, for ADS Ltd.
Site type: Structure - peatland, Road - class 2 togher and Road - class 3 togher
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 660203m, N 727986m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.298753, -7.096852
These features were identified by the Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit as a secondary togher orientated east-west (OF-BKL0027), a tertiary togher orientated north-south (OF-BKL0028), a tertiary togher orientated north-north-west/south-south-east (OF-BKL0029), an archaeological complex (OF-BKL0032) and a tertiary togher orientated east-west (OF-BKL0034). Four cuttings were excavated to investigate these sites.
No trace of OF-BKL0034 was found; it may be that it was part of the complex OF-BKL0032. OF-BKL0032 was found to be a rectangular platform of dual-layered brushwood incorporating one small portion of a split timber in the upper layer. The upper layer of the platform was badly damaged by milling and the platform measured roughly 5m by 7.6m. OF-BKL0029 was found to be a togher of brushwood incorporating a small hurdle panel orientated north-north-west/south-south-east and possibly providing a link between the platform and OF-BKL0027. OF-BKL0027 and OF-BKL0028 are likely to be part of the same togher. They were both composed of brushwood laid transversely to form an east-west walking surface. There was some evidence for a brushwood and peg substructure at its western end, where it joined OF-BKL0029, and further to the east a small hurdle panel was incorporated into the structure over a patch of particularly wet bog.
Windsor House, 11 Fairview Strand, Dublin 3
