2006:2056 - Mayne Bog, Mayne, Westmeath

In 2005 a plank trackway was reported to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DOEHLG) and was subsequently visited by Conleth Manning and Geraldine Stout. It was discovered to be a substantial transversely laid plank trackway. In September 2006 a small-scale investigatory excavation was undertaken on behalf of the DOEHLG.
The site was orientated north–south, running across industrial peatland from the River Inny on the east to an area of higher ground to the west. The recorded length of the trackway was 657m, but it was seen to extend beyond both recorded limits.
The trackway was investigated in a single cutting and 43 sightings of the trackway in drainage ditches were also recorded. This work was carried out on 11–14 September 2006. Excavation exposed a structure composed of tightly packed transverse oak planks, most of which had been mortised and fixed in place with roundwood pegs. The planks measured up to 4.4m in length, 0.3m in width and 0.06m in thickness. The substructure consisted of light brushwoods, plank fragments and wood chips which were scattered across the surface of the bog. Some of these elements had been arranged into three roughly longitudinal lines of brushwoods. A 14C date of 1200–820 bc was obtained from the superstructure.
Further archaeological and environmental investigations of the plank trackway have been recommended in order to ascertain the structure’s full length, to develop a picture of the local environment at the time of its construction and to examine the role it may have played in the landscape.