County: Roscommon Site name: Mountdillon and Derrycashel Bogs, Cloontuskert/Curraghroe/Derrycashel/ Derryhanee/erra
Sites and Monuments Record No.: RO030–015 Licence number: 08E0644
Author: Jane Whitaker, Archaeological Development Services Ltd, 110 Amiens Street, Dublin 1.
Site type: Peatland survey
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 600058m, N 774772m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.722616, -7.999120
The Peatland Survey 2008 included Mountdillon and Derrycashel bogs, which are part of the Bord na Móna Mountdillon group of bogs. Mountdillon Bog has a total area of 615 acres and is located 6.5km north-north-west of Lanesborough. It located to the east of the R371 and immediately west of the River Shannon. The southern end of the bog is accessed by the Mountdillon Works, just off the R371. The northern end of the bog is accessed by an unclassified road that divides Mountdillon and Derrycashel bogs. The majority of the bog is overgrown and out of production but the south-western end of the bog, two areas on the eastern side, a thin strip along the north-west edge and the western side of the bog, which is known as Curraghroe, are currently in milled-peat production.
A single trackway was recorded at the eastern limit of the northern end of Mountdillon Bog. The site consisted of a gravel trackway, RO030–015. This trackway was orientated north-northeast/south-southwest and was visible three sightings, on the field surface and drain faces across three production fields. It was composed of compact sandy gravel with occasional larger stones. It was located at the northern end of Mountdillon Bog where it extended into the face bank at the eastern limit the bog. The uncut bog into which the site continues extends for c. 40m, thereby indicating that the site is most likely preserved in situ within this area.
Derrycashel Bog has a total area of 465 acres and is located 2.5km west Tarmonbarry and 1km west of the River Shannon. It located to the south of the N5 and is accessed by an unclassified road that runs south-east of an unclassified road that separates it from Mountdillon Bog. The majority of the bog is overgrown and out of production but the southern end of the bog, which includes the eastern edge of the bog, is currently in milled peat production. Nothing of archaeological significance was found during the field-walking survey of the bog.
