County: Laois Site name: Gortnaclea, Contract 3
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A015/142; E2248
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
Site type: Non-archaeological
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 635632m, N 686770m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.930571, -7.470004
An assessment was carried out in February 2007 as part of the programme of archaeological works on the route of the proposed M7 Portlaoise to Castletown/M8 Portlaoise to Cullahill motorway scheme. This assessment of Contract 3: Testing Area 14 involved the mechanical excavation of two trenches in Gortnaclea townland where access was previously denied. The trenches were excavated parallel to the River Gully, which forms the townland boundary between Killeany and Gortnaclea, the parish boundary between Clonene and Clonaghee and the barony boundary between Maryborough West and Clarmallagh. This was also the supposed location of a mill-race. The two trenches resulted in an additional 136 linear metres being excavated. No archaeological features or finds were exposed in the trenches and consequently no further work was required.
