2006:1162 - DERRINSALLAGH/DOON (3), Laois

The enclosure site was first identified during the EIS undertaken on the route of the proposed M7 Portlaoise to Castletown/M8 Portlaoise to Cullahill motorway scheme. Topsoil-stripping on this site revealed a circular enclosure c. 50m in diameter. The site had been divided in two by the R435, Borris-in-Ossory to Rathdowney road, consequently the excavation was undertaken in two phases. The west site of the enclosure, in the townland of Derrinsallagh, was excavated between August and November 2005. The east side of the enclosure, in the townland of Doon, was excavated from March to June 2006.

The site was enclosed by an earth-cut, V-shaped ditch. The ditch was 3.8–5m wide and 1.5–1.8m deep. It was widest and deepest on the east side. The fill of the ditch comprised layers of compacted silt and clay. Present within the ditch fill along the north and south sides were dumps of stone. The stone may have been used as a facing or revetment on the inner side of the ditch. No trace of an enclosing bank was uncovered. A 3m-wide entrance was uncovered on the south-east side. Large post-holes were found on the inner side of the entrance and these may represent a gateway. On the interior of the site numerous pits and post-holes were uncovered. A line of stake-holes extending for 20m north–south and 3m west of the east side of the ditch was found. These stakes may represent an internal division within the enclosure. On the west side of the enclosure, there was an area of metalled or compacted stone, forming a rough surface. On the west side of the site, pottery recovered from one of the post-holes has been provisionally dated to the Neolithic period. It is possible that there may have been earlier settlement on the site.

Associated peripheral activity was uncovered on both the west and east sides of the enclosure. On the west side a complex of at least three cereal-drying kilns was excavated to the north-west of the site. The kilns had been cut into an earlier field ditch that extended for 40m north-west from the edge of the enclosure ditch. The latest of the kilns and the best preserved was keyhole-shaped and orientated east–west with a stone-lined bowl. It measured 3m by 1.5m wide. South-west of the enclosure, at a distance of 10m, was a cluster of 25 post-holes with a central hearth. The outer posts had a subrectangular outline and measured 4.4m by 3.8m on the north and east sides but were incomplete on the west and south sides. The inner line of post-holes formed an arc around the hearth on the west side, but neither group of posts formed a complete structure. To the south, a second field ditch was excavated for a length of 20m extending out from the enclosure.

On the east side of the enclosure, a 20m-wide north–south by 100m long area was stripped to follow features uncovered in testing. Starting closest to the enclosure and working eastwards, the following is a brief description of the features uncovered. A shallow subrectangular enclosure cut by the enclosure ditch was uncovered to the south-east. The ditch of the subrectangular enclosure was excavated for a length of 15m north–south by 0.8m wide by 0.3m deep. This enclosure had a 2m-wide entrance facing east. No western return was found. Within and scattered around outside the subrectangular enclosure were several shallow circular pits. A second larger subrectangular enclosure was located to the east of the main enclosure. It extended for a length of 30m north-west/south-east with an east–west return of 6m, terminating 3m before the edge of the enclosure ditch. The ditch of this second subrectangular enclosure measured 1m wide by 0.6m deep and may represent an agricultural or field division.

To the east of the main enclosure, at a distance of 10m, a keyhole-shaped cereal-drying kiln was excavated. It measured 5m east–west with a 1.7m wide bowl. The flue and drying bowl were stone-lined. The base of the bowl was also stone-lined. Two phases of use were noted during the excavation of this kiln where the structure of the kiln had been modified. A second kiln was located 30m further east. This kiln was also keyhole-shaped, measuring 5m north–south and with a bowl 2m wide east–west. Evidence of a stone lining was present but not as well preserved as in the previous kiln. Within a 5m area east of this second kiln several other features were uncovered; these included small bowl furnaces and pits. One of the pits measured 3.5m north–south by 1.3m wide by 1m deep; the fill of the pit contained small pieces of cremated bone and charcoal. Immediately east of the pit was a curvilinear slot-trench, 6m north-east/south-west by 0.2m wide by 0.2m deep. The north-east end of the slot-trench had a rounded terminal that held a post.

At a distance of 80m east of the main enclosure, a small complex of eleven pits was uncovered. The pits averaged 0.3m diameter by 0.3m deep and contained a dark charcoal-rich fill within which small pieces of cremated bone were visible. It is possible that these may be cremation pits, but further analysis is pending.

Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth