County: Offaly Site name: Greenhills
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E003377
Author: Finn Delaney, Eachtra Archaeological Projects, Ballycurreen Industrial Estate, Kinsale Road, Cork.
Site type: Testing
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 601212m, N 681366m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.883176, -7.981987
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 5 is located at Chainage 10.000–12.600 (2.6km), between 111m OD and 117m OD, and encompasses the townlands of Cullenwayne, Moneygall and Greenhills. Works were complete between 21 April and 1 May 2007.
Six archaeological sites were recorded in Area 5. A fulacht fiadh was recorded at Greenhills 1, two fulachta fiadh were recorded at Greenhills 2 and three fulachta fiadh were recorded at Greenhills 3. See Nos 1457 (Cullenwayne) above, 1464–5 (Moneygall 1 and 2) below and No. 1651 below for County Tipperary sites.
Phase 2 excavation works were carried out between July 2007 and March 2008.
