County: Leitrim Site name: Moher 1
Sites and Monuments Record No.: - Licence number: A031/013, E3301
Author: Aisling Collins, CRDS Ltd, Unit 4A, Dundrum Business Park, Dublin 14.
Site type: Prehistoric
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 605792m, N 787768m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.839370, -7.911986
A programme of archaeological excavations was undertaken as part of the N4 Dromod Roosky bypass at the request of Leitrim County Council. In total, 25 potential archaeological sites were identified during centreline testing as part of the advance archaeological investigation (see No. 1214 above, 05E0983).
Moher 1 consisted of a large 19th-century limekiln which was found to be sitting directly on top of two separate Bronze Age burnt mounds and their associated troughs, one of which was wood-lined.
There was a clear sequencing of activity at Moher 1. The earlier mound lay above and filled a timber-lined trough. This showed the hot stone technology which was in use at this site. This activity clearly related to and interacted with the bog. There was possible evidence for some sort of pathway into and out of the bog leading from the trough with a line of stones remaining. There also was a wood horizon that may have a similar orientation but may be a natural accumulation. The trough appears to be relined, which indicates an earlier phase. There was a brushwood entrance on the eastern side of the trough leading down towards the bog. A possible rubbing stone was recovered from the fill of one of the stakes in the bog associated with the possible pathway.
It appears that this site was abandoned and c. 200 years later a second mound was constructed slightly uphill but cutting into the original mound. Large stake-holes were present in the corners of the second trough, but the timber that would have lined it appears to have been removed in antiquity. This trough was shallow, or else there was a deeper mound of burnt stones present at the time. A date of 1020–900 cal bc was obtained from the fill of one of the stake-holes. A small piece of chert flake was recovered from the base of this mound.
The final phase of activity was a large limekiln situated on a flat dry spot – the presence of the burnt mounds may have made it an ideal location. The limekiln appears to date from the 19th century but is not present on the first- or second-edition OS maps.
