County: Laois Site name: Kilnaseer and Cannonswood,Contract 1
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A015/021; E2136
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 634061m, N 677579m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.848071, -7.494342
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 1: Testing Area 9 involved the mechanical excavation of five test-trenches along the townland boundary between Kilnaseer and Cannonswood. An area measuring 1132m2 of bog was also stripped using a tracked bog machine in an effort to locate a ‘bog body’, the presence of which is recorded in human memory and local tradition. No archaeological features were identified and the area of bog excavated showed evidence of having previously been cut for turf. No trace of the ‘bog body’ was recovered and it is likely that it survives to the west outside the road corridor.
