2005:1469 - TOUREEN, Tipperary

Toureen Peakaun is the monastery of Cluain Aird Mo-Becóc, which was founded in the 7th century and is occasionally mentioned in the early annals and martyrologies. The first season of a University College Cork research and training excavation was carried out there over four weeks in April 2005. The ritual core of the site features several ‘monuments in state care’, but its full extent is indicated by a c. 200m enclosure, some of which is traceable in the surrounding field banks. The three trenches opened in 2005 were all outside the ritual core. Their positions were chosen with the aid of gradiometer and resistivity surveys.

Trench A (2m by 15m) was opened to confirm that the low earthwork visible in the north field was a continuation of the early ecclesiastical enclosure, which is better preserved in the east and west fields. Excavation revealed a heavily plough-truncated bank with a c. 2m-wide external ditch containing six distinct fills, and a c. 1m wide internal ditch containing three distinct fills.

Trench B (6m by 6m with a 4m by 3m extension at the north-east) was designed to investigate another feature in the north field within the early enclosure, now represented by a low mound. It showed up as an area of magnetic enhancement in the gradiometer survey and as an area of high resistance surrounded by low resistance in the resistivity survey. Excavation showed that it was a natural raised area in an otherwise low, waterlogged part of the site that had been augmented by a number of introduced clay and stone deposits. The resulting platform was plough truncated, so the only surviving features were cuts, including a number of drains, an oval pit containing a charcoal-rich deposit and two post-holes that were interpreted as evidence for a fence delimiting the platform at the south, or possibly even the remains of a more substantial structure. An early medieval date for this activity was confirmed by the presence of a polychrome bead and the pin element of a ringed pin.

Trench C (5m by 10m with a 5m by 2m extension at the south) was located in the east field to investigate a possible channel and other anomalies identified in the geophysical survey, and to characterise the nature of early medieval occupation in this relatively dry area. Excavation was not completed during the 2005 season, but it was possible to determine that the wide linear feature highlighted by the resistivity survey was the original channel of the Toureen Stream. This had been deliberately backfilled and diverted to the west, probably in modern times. Stepping-stones facilitating access across the stream at this point were found in situ. Occupation on the north side of the stream was quite dense. Several deposits had been dumped against the north bank to consolidate it and others had been spread over the entire area to make it relatively dry. A number of substantial post-holes, drains and intercutting pits were cut through these deposits. Those pits that were excavated in 2005 produced substantial quantities of burnt animal bone and iron slag. Excavation will resume at Toureen in April 2006.