County: Offaly Site name: Moyally 5
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A016/048; E2675
Author: David Bayley, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Hearth feature
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 621060m, N 737443m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.386734, -7.683415
Testing was carried out as part of an archaeological mitigation programme associated with the N6 Kilbeggan to Athlone dual carriageway. The site was identified during testing undertaken by Yvonne Whitty of IAC Ltd in July 2005 (A016/029). The site was excavated in February 2006. An excavation area measuring 10m by 10m was opened.
The site comprised a single hearth feature, 1.17m in length, 1.17m in width and with a depth of 0.14m. The exact function of this hearth could not be determined during the course of the excavation. It may have functioned as a charcoal clamp, providing charcoal for use in other activities, such as smelting metals.
This work was funded by Westmeath County Council and the National Roads Authority.
Editor’s note: Although excavated during 2006, the report on this site arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.
