County: Tipperary Site name: Area 8, Rathnaveoge Lower, Co. Tipperary, and Castleroan, Co. Offaly
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E003417
Author: Colm Flynn, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd, Brehon House, Kilkenny Road, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.
Site type: Testing
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 607236m, N 683790m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.904919, -7.892436
Test-trenching was carried out along the route of the proposed N7 Castletown–Nenagh road scheme in the spring of 2007. Testing of the eastern section, Contract 2, extended from Castleroan townland in Co. Offaly, eastwards through North Tipperary, to Clonagooden in Co. Laois. The section was divided into eight testing areas, Areas 8–15, each tested under a separate licence.
Area 8 ran from Chainage 17.080 to 18.600 (1.52km), through the townlands of Castleroan, Co. Offaly, and Rathnaveoge Lower, Co. Tipperary. Works were completed in late March 2007.
Five potential sites were identified as follows: Castleroan 3, a metalworking area probably of Iron Age/early medieval date; Rathnaveoge Lower 1 (see No. 1714 below), a post-medieval metalled roadway; Rathnaveoge Lower 2 (see No. 1715 below), a multi-period site including a limekiln, cremation pit, possible structure, bowl furnace and charcoal kiln; Rathnaveoge Lower 3 (see No. 1716 below), a possible bowl furnace; Rathnaveoge Lower 4 (see No. 1717 below), numerous pits and post-holes suggesting prehistoric settlement.
Full excavation of all these sites was recommended.
