County: Offaly Site name: BALLYNAKILL/BALLYNAMUDDAGH/BELLAIR OR BALLYARD/CAPPANALOSSET/CLONALTRA/ CORRACULLIN/COOLDOORAGH/HALL/MOOROCK/ TINAMUCK WEST/TINAMUCK SOUTH, BELLAIR NO
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 09E0408
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. Bellair North and South Bogs are located 3km north-west of Ballycumber, Co. Offaly, and 2km north-east of Doon. The bogs are located at the northern end of the BnM Boora group of bogs. Bellair North and South are located north and south of the Dublin/Galway railway line, respectively. They have a combined total area of 734ha. Bellair North Bog was in partial production and Bellair South was in full production at the time of survey.
A total of eighteen archaeological sites, identified during the first-round survey of Bellair North and South Bogs in 1997, are lodged in the records of the Archaeological Survey of Ireland. Five of the sites were widely dispersed within Bellair North Bog, while the remaining sites were largely confined to a cluster of sites in the centre of Bellair South Bog, where it is narrowest.
The majority of Bellair South Bog was in full production at the time of survey. A hand-held GPS was used to locate findspots for the previously recorded sites; however, nothing remained of these sites and no new archaeological sites were identified within the bog.
Bellair North Bog was not in production at the time of survey and as a result the field surfaces were largely covered with grass and heather; however, the drain faces remained largely free of vegetation. A hand-held GPS was used to find the location of the widely dispersed, previously identified sites but they were no longer extant. However, three new sites were identified, including a stake row, which was visible on the field surface at the southern side of the bog, and two sightings of archaeological wood in the western side of the bog.
