County: Offaly Site name: Russagh 1
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A016/056; E2682
Author: Ellen O’Carroll, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Hearth features
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 626042m, N 737731m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.389099, -7.608504
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. Two excavation areas measuring 10m by 10m each were opened.
The site consisted of a possible hearth or pit and a burnt spread. The hearth or pit was 0.38m long, 0.4m wide and 0.19m deep. The primary fill was burnt clay and the upper fill was a rich charcoal deposit. The burnt spread was 2.5m long, 1.6m wide and 0.03m deep and comprised burnt clay and charcoal. No finds were recovered during the course of the excavation.
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.
