2007:641 - KILLADERRY BOG, Killaderry/ Acre East/Cloonshee (Kelly)/Cloonshee (Dillon)/Lissyegan/Shrahloughra/Dalysgrove, Galway

Killaderry Bog was surveyed as part of the Peatland Survey 2007. The bog is situated within the Bord na Móna Derryfadda group, immediately east of the Derryfadda Works. It is bounded to the north by Derryfadda Bog, to the west by an unclassified road, to the south by undulating countryside and to the east by the River Suck. The bog is composed of two areas of peat production described, for the purpose of the survey, as Killaderry Proper, on the eastern side of the Derryfadda Works and Killaderry South, to the south-east. The combined areas of the bog are 456ha in size, which was in production at the time of survey. Killaderry Proper contained 231 production fields, while Killaderry South comprised 33 production fields. Archaeological sites were recorded in both areas of the bog.

In total, 61 sites were recorded in Killaderry Bog. Fifty-three of the sites, including one plank and gravel trackway, 21 trackways, seven platforms and 24 sightings of archaeological wood, were recorded in Killaderry Proper on the western side of the bog within Cloonshee (Kelly) townland. The sites were predominantly linear in nature and orientated north–south or north-west/south-east from the dry land to the south towards a former dry-land island on which the Derryfadda Works are located. A further six sites, including three plank trackways, two trackways, one platform and two sightings of archaeological wood, were recorded within the eastern half of the bog in Cloonshee (Dillon) and Shraloughra townlands. The remaining two sites, composed of one platform and one trackway, were recorded in Dalysgrove townland within Killaderry South.

The most substantial trackway was recorded on the western side of Killaderry Bog Proper. It was orientated towards the former dry-land island at Derryfadda Works and measured c. 300m in length. The stratigraphy, where it survived fully, indicated that the site was up to four layers deep. The trackway was cut perpendicularly by the drains and was fully preserved at one sighting within a former stockpile field, which, as a result, is significantly higher than those surrounding it. The uppermost layer was composed of a deposit of stone, gravel and marl that was laid over substantial densely laid transverse oak planks. The planks were sizeable radial and half-split timbers supported by a dense layer of regularly laid transverse and longitudinal roundwoods and brushwoods that were secured in places by roundwood pegs. The basal layer of the trackway was composed of regularly laid small to large stones that were cobbled in places and interspersed with gravel spreads. The remaining sightings varied between the uppermost layers and the basal layers of the trackway.

Post-excavation work is ongoing. Radiocarbon and dendrochronological samples will provide additional information regarding the date of the sites.

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