County: Offaly Site name: BALLYBRACKEN LITTLE/BALLYBRACKEN OR RIDGEMOUNT/BARNABOY/BROUGHAL/ LEA BEG/RIN, EAST BOORA BOG
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 09E0410
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 (BnM) 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. East Boora Bog is located 2.5km north of Kilcormac, Co. Offaly. It lies at the centre of the Boora group directly east of Boora West Bog. It has a total area of 290ha, of which only the south-west corner remains in production. The majority of East Boora Bog is now cutaway and forms part of the Lough Boora Parklands, which incorporates grasslands, wetlands, areas of natural colonisation and evergreen and hardwood forestry.
A single archaeological site, which was identified during the first-round survey of East Boora Bog in 1994, was lodged in the records of the Archaeological Survey of Ireland.
The majority of the bog is located within the Lough Boora Parklands and is therefore covered with vegetation, while the eastern side of the bog is covered by Loch Dochais and Boora Lake. A hand-held GPS was used to find the location of the previously identified site, which is now covered by a gravel access road. No sites of archaeological significance were identified during the field-walking survey of the bog.
