2007:1704 - MOATQUARTER (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. Moatquarter 1, Area 7.1, was tested under licence E3375 (see No. 1703, Excavations 2007) in 2007.

Excavation at Moatquarter 1 revealed three main concentrations of archaeology including a circular structure, a group of isolated pits to the north and a group of isolated pits to the north-east. The date of the circular house is uncertain, but morphologically it would appear to be Bronze Age in date.

The circular structure comprised four slot-trenches, twelve post-holes, 56 stake-holes and six pits. A small area of burnt subsoil was found within the house, possibly the remains of a hearth. The large number of internal stake-holes may have been evidence for an internal division within the structure, but no definite pattern was found.

Four pits were excavated at the northern end of the site, c. 30m north of the house. No artefacts were recovered from the pits and their date or function is not certain.

Another four pits were excavated c. 170m north-east of the house. Once again, no artefacts were recovered from the pits and their function is not certain.