County: Offaly Site name: Busherstown and Drumroe
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E003376
Author: Jacinta Kiely, Eachtra Archaeological Projects, Ballycurreen Industrial Estate, Kinsale Road, Cork.
Site type: Testing
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 603737m, N 681765m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.886750, -7.944461
Phase 1 trial-trench testing and townland boundary surveys along 17.1km (Contact 1) of the 35km N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Derrinsallagh to Ballintotty) national road scheme were commissioned by Laois County Council and the National Roads Authority. Contract 1 comprises the western half of the scheme and runs from Clashnevin to Castleroan, passing along the Tipperary North and Offaly county border regions. Contract 1 was divided into six areas, 2–7, during Contract 1 trial-trench testing. Area 6 is located on Chainage 12.600–14.670 (2km), between 117m OD and 158m OD, and encompasses the townlands of Drumbaun, Busherstown and Drumroe. Works were completed during 19–30 April 2007.
Four archaeological sites were recorded in Area 6. A group of pits and ditches were recorded in Busherstown (see No. 1444 below) and a group of pits were recorded at Drumroe 1 (see No. 1458 below). See Nos 1661 and 1662 below for County Tipperary sites (Drumbaun 1 and 2).
Phase 2 excavation works were carried out between July 2007 and March 2008.
