County: Westmeath Site name: Kilgaroan 1
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A016/069; E2697
Author: David Bayley, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Five pits
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 630717m, N 735753m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.371077, -7.538419
Testing was carried out as part of an archaeological mitigation programme associated with the N6 Kilbeggan to Athlone dual carriageway. The site was identified during testing undertaken by Patricia Lynch, IAC Ltd, in July 2005 (A016/029). The site was excavated in March 2006. An excavation area measuring 40m by 10m was opened.
The site comprised a series of possible pits and a spread. The largest single pit (dimensions 1.4m by 1.4m and 0.3m deep) potentially functioned as a charcoal-burning pit. The remaining pits may have contained dumps of material related to charcoal production. No finds were recovered during the excavation.
This work was funded by Westmeath County Council and the National Roads Authority.
Editor’s note: Although excavated during 2006, the report on this site arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.
