2007:1693 - KILLEISK (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. Killeisk 1, testing Area 2.5, was tested under licence E3371 (see No. 1628, Excavations 2007) in 2007.

A portion of a ringfort or medieval enclosure was located within the lands made available (LMA) at Killeisk. It measured 35m north–south by 33m within the area of the LMA. The area of the entrance was not located within the LMA. The ditch was 1.6–2.2m wide by 0.4–0.5m in depth. A well was cut into the base of the ditch. There were a number of fills in the ditch, some of which contained animal bone. Two quernstones were recovered from the ditch. The ditch was recut in places and there was evidence of an internal bank. There were a small number of pits, post- and stake-holes in the interior of the site but there is no evidence of a structure. There were three sets of features outside the ringfort, a field system and droveway, a group of pits and a kiln.

Field system and droveway
The droveway (a broad unmetalled track used by herders walking their animals, usually cattle or sheep, to market) comprised a double linear feature c. 40m in length. The distance between the linear features was c. 4m. They extended beyond the CPO to the south and may indicate the location of the entrance to the ringfort. Two linear features were probably contemporary with the ringfort. They delineated or enclosed ground to the east and west of the ringfort. They probably represented small fields associated with the enclosure. Linear 1 extended from the northern portion of the ringfort and was aligned east–west. It extended beyond the area of the excavation to the east. Linear 2 curved from the ditch of the ringfort and terminated 0.4m north-east of a droveway. Linear 2 was probably contemporary with the droveway, as a gap in the linear features that formed the droveway, 0.4m in width, was left to facilitate access.

Two portions of decorated rotary quernstones were recovered from the southern end of the droveway ditches. One of the querns was made of sandstone and the other was made of granite.

Group of pits
A group of pits and possible post-holes were located c. 40m to the west of the ringfort. Some of the pit fills included large amounts of heat-shattered stone.

Kiln
A limekiln (5.6m long) was located in the western portion of the site. A shallow linear feature (26m long by 1m wide), L-shaped in plan, was located to the west. This may have contained a fence or shelter for the kiln. A large modern field boundary was located to the east.