County: Offaly Site name: Russagh 4
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A016/055; E2681
Author: Ellen O’Carroll, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Habitation site
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 625803m, N 737935m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.390953, -7.612079
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 August 2005 (A016/029). The site was excavated in February 2006. An excavation area measuring 30m by 30m was opened.
The site was divided into two areas (Areas A and B). Area A contained a small number of shallow burnt spreads and a possible water channel. The water channel was 9m long, a maximum of 3m wide and 0.2m deep. Area B contained a possible cereal-drying kiln and a hearth. The kiln was 1.41m long, 1m wide and 0.18m deep. The primary fill of this kiln was a charcoal deposit. The hearth was 1m in diameter and 0.13m deep and also contained a primary charcoal deposit.
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.
