County: Offaly Site name: Clonmacnoise
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 08E0235
Author: Anne Carey, 80 Portacarron, Ballymoneen Road, Galway.
Site type: Iron slag
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 600913m, N 730669m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.326277, -7.986294
Trial-trenching was carried out at the site of a proposed agricultural shed on 5 April 2008. The site was located to the south of an existing farmyard within sight of the castle and monastic complex of Clonmacnoise. The ground within the site rises to an esker which runs from east to west though the southern portion of the site. Four trial-trenches were excavated at the site and a small quantity of iron slag was found in one, at the base of the esker. The location of the shed was reassessed, based on its proximity to the high ground to the south and under an extension to the existing licence three further trial-trenches were excavated at the new proposed location on 12 July 2008. Further iron slag was discovered at the base of the esker and investigation showed it to be highly disturbed, redeposited material. No finds or features were discovered during the testing.
