County: Laois Site name: Oldglass
Sites and Monuments Record No.: - Licence number: R0030
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
Site type: Battle site
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 634017m, N 679398m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.864418, -7.494805
A metal-detection survey was carried out in the townland of Oldglass on Contract 1 of the M7 Portlaoise to Castletown/M8 Portlaoise to Cullahill motorway scheme. The site in question is known as Ballina-ghowl (‘the town at the river fork’) and is the reputed location of a battle fought in the 12th century. The site is referred to on the OS maps as the location of a massive burial site, apparently covering twelve acres (LA028–108(01)). Burial evidence was found here during the erection of ESB poles in the 1970s. As test-trenching was not permitted at this site due to the presence of badger setts, a metal-detection survey was undertaken. It was carried out in two gardens, a road verge and an adjoining field to ascertain the presence or absence of metal objects that may have been deposited in the area in antiquity or in the recent past.
The survey consisted of transects, 2m in width, that extended for the length of the fields. The location of each findspot on the grid was recorded using Irish national grid coordinates to an accuracy of 0.5m or better using GPS equipment. An absence of metal objects in the surveyed area was noted, with the exception of some metal readings in the grass verge. Test-trenching will be carried out at this location at some future date when the badger setts are removed.
