County: Offaly Site name: CLONAD (OF-CLO0004)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: OF018-081 Licence number: 04E0724
Author: Eoin Corcoran, Archaeological Development Services Ltd.
Site type: Road - class 1 togher
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 647197m, N 723979m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.264062, -7.292541
OF-CL00004 was identified by the IAWU following their 2001 survey as a primary togher orientated from north-east to south-west across the bog; it was recorded at seven sightings at various depths below the field surface. The IAWU described this site as generally being composed of two to three layers consisting of brushwood, roundwood and timbers, with timbers being the main construction element overall (IAWU 2002). Three cuttings were excavated along the length of this site; all measured 6m by 4m.
The remains of this trackway in Cutting 1, and those recorded by the IAWU, consisted of a 3.5mwide transverse plank trackway. The remains in Cuttings 2 and 3 were those of a single plank trackway. The structure was orientated from north-north-east to south-south-west across a narrow stretch of bog between two areas of dry land. It is possible that in Cutting 1 the remains consisted of a single plank trackway with a platform incorporated into it.
Research is ongoing and it is hoped that parallels for this kind of structure can be found. The dating evidence will aid in its interpretation.
References
IAWU 2002 Archaeological survey report: Clonad Bog, Co. Offaly. Unpublished report commissioned by Dúchas, the Heritage Service.
Whitaker, J. and Corcoran, E. 2020. Final Excavation Report for Clonad Bog, Co. Offaly (Licences: 04E0722- 04E0729), Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd., 2019. Unpublished report prepared by IAC Archaeology.
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