2007:1680 - GORTYBRIGANE, Tipperary

Site A026/049, located in the townland of Gortybrigane, was discovered during Phase 1 testing of the N7 Nenagh to Limerick road project in 2006. The land rose sharply to the south, west and east and gradually to the north, which led to the area being extremely waterlogged.

Excavations were carried out between 27 April and 14 May 2007. Two areas where stripped as part of the resolution phase. The first area revealed no finds or features of archaeological significance and no further work was carried out. Within the second area, located c. 60m to the north-west of the first, three burnt spreads were discovered. Two of these spreads (one of which had originally been located during the testing) were c. 5m apart and measured 5.05m by 9.02m and 3.25m by 2.3m respectively. The third spread (also originally discovered during testing) was located 12m to the south-east of the other two. Underneath the third spread was a small stone- and wood-lined trough which measured 1.1m by 1.58m. The two stones, positioned at either end of the cut, were probably of shale and may have been mined from the same rock. The timbers that formed the base of the trough all seemed to be split planks and some still retained fragments of bark. Those that formed the trough sides were, in the main, thick branches (possibly silver birch), though several smaller pieces of wood were seen; these where probably used to support the sides. Several of the timbers/pieces of wood were generally well preserved, though the majority had been damaged by frequent root activity as well as in places being completely rotted away (probably due to the fact that parts of the trough were considerably wetter).

No other finds apart from the timbers were recovered from the site. However, samples from each of the spreads and from within the trough and behind its stone lining (though this material may have been forced behind the stones over time) should give adequate dating evidence of the activity on site.