2007:1629 - Clashnevin 1, Tipperary

Phase 2 excavations 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 Castelroan, passing along the Tipperary North and Offaly county border regions. Six areas of archaeology were uncovered during Contract 1 trial-trench testing.
A mound of burnt material was recorded at Clashnevin 1. The mound measured 17m by 17m by 0.3m deep. The mound sealed a trough, a number of pits and a substantial well. The well measured 7m by 8m by 2m deep and it contained several fills, many of which included fragments of animal bone. Organic material including leaves and shells and four large fragments of wood were recovered from the base of the well. The well was cut below the water-table. At least five small pits cut the shelf on the western side of the well. The trough is located to the immediate west of the well. A group of shallow pits were located to the south and west of the mound.
A large shallow pit and associated small group of stake-holes and a large pit were located c. 40m to the west of the main mound. The shallow pit was filled with heat-shattered stones. Wood was recovered from the base of the pit. The large pit was truncated by a modern drain.
Three ditches are located parallel and to the north of the mound of burnt material. The ditches were orientated roughly east–west and extend beyond the CPO line to the north-west and north-east. One of the ditches is marked on the first-edition OS map. Animal bone and antler was recovered from the fills of the middle and northernmost ditch. A fourth ditch is located to the east of the mound. This ditch is cut by one of the east–west orientated ditches and extends beyond the CPO to the north.