2007:1694 - KILGORTEEN (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. Kilgorteen 1, Area 3.2, was tested under licence E3372 (see No. 1692, Excavations 2007) in 2007.

The site was stripped by a machine with toothless bucket and then manually cleaned. A large hearth, 2.9m in length, 1.4m in width and 0.4m in depth, was located to the centre of the area of excavation. It was oval in shape with a concave profile and moderately steep sloping sides and was filled by five deposits. It was scorched at the base and contained in situ burnt deposits, indicating its function as a possible hearth or fire pit.

Other features found at the site included the remains of a single plough furrow and a tree bole. The plough furrow was aligned east to west and located towards the western half of the site. It measured 1.6m in length 0.28m in width and 0.05m in depth. The remains of a tree bole were located c. 1m to the north-east. Charcoal within the fill of this feature may also suggest an anthropogenic origin to the deposit.