County: Offaly Site name: AGHAGOOGY/CRANCREAGH/DERRINLOUGH/ DERRYAD/DERRYMULLIN AND LOUGHDERRY/DRINAGH/KILCAMIN/STONESTOWN, WEST DRINAGH BOG
Sites and Monuments Record No.: OF030–060, OF030–063 Licence number: 09E0413
Author: Nicola Rohan, Archaeological Development Services Ltd, Unit D, Kells Business Park, Cavan Road, Kells, Co. Meath.
Site type: Peatland survey
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 619211m, N 720627m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.235687, -7.712223
The Re-assessment Survey 2009 included Bellair North and South, Killaranny, East Boora, Clongawney, Oughter (Roscore), West Drinagh and Galros Bogs, which are part of the Bord na M)na Boora group of bogs. The Boora group of bogs was initially surveyed by the IAWU in 1994, 1997 and 1998. The objective of the Re-assessment Survey was to re-identify any surviving previously recorded sites, identify new sites and subsequently record all archaeological sites identified during the course of survey. West Drinagh Bog is located to the rear of Derrinlough Briquette Factory, c. 2.2km south-east of Cloghan, Co. Offaly. Drinagh Bog has a total area of 1923ha, of which c. 75% is now cutaway, with the remaining 25% in production at the time of survey.
A total of 41 sites, previously recorded during the first-round survey of West Drinagh Bog in 1998, were lodged in the records of the Archaeological Survey of Ireland.
At the time of the Re-assessment Survey much of the bog was cutaway, with large areas of the bog milled out, overgrown or underwater. Fourteen previously unrecorded sites, including thirteen sightings of archaeological wood and a possible togher, were recorded during the Re-assessment Survey. A previously recorded plank trackway (OF030–060) and a platform (OF030–063) were reidentified during survey. One of the sightings of archaeological wood was located in isolation, at the southern end of the bog, while the remaining sites were recorded in proximity to the south-eastern limit of the bog.
