2009:775 - TEMPLETOUHY BOG, TEMPLETOUHY, Tipperary

This site comprising a plank trackway was the western side of a site that was excavated under two licences (see also No. 774 above) in Templetouhy Bog as part of the 2009 Bord na M)na archaeological mitigation programme. The eastern end of the plank trackway is recorded in the Record of Monuments and Places as LA033–015. The site was discovered during turf-cutting in 1958 and was subsequently excavated by Etienne Rynne. It was described, at that time, as being constructed of roughly parallel, heavy longitudinal timbers laid 2m apart with overlying transverse planks that were held in place by pegs or stakes (IA/51/1958). The trackway was re-identified during the Peatland Survey 2006, carried out by ADS Ltd, and was subsequently dated to 1033±9 BC.
A single cutting, orientated east to west and measuring 4m in width by 6m in length, was excavated by Jane Whitaker over the site identified as a plank trackway (TN-TPY003b) during the Peatland Survey 2006 (Excavations 2006, No. 1002, 06E0704). The plank trackway was orientated north-north-east to south-south-west and was subsequently dendrochronologically dated to 1033±9 BC. Excavation revealed that the trackway was heavily milled at this location and as a result little remained of the site but a few substructural elements. All that survived of the trackway were two longitudinal roundwood runners laid either side of two fragmented longitudinal planks that were, in turn, underlain by transversely laid roundwood and brushwood elements. A double row of pegs was visible both sides of the longitudinal runners and continued for the length of the cutting. The pegs did not follow a regular arrangement and were probably inserted wherever needed to secure now destroyed transverse planks. All that remained of the trackway, elsewhere in the cutting, were widely dispersed roundwood and brushwood elements and three displaced transverse planks. Within the cutting, the trackway measured 0.36m in depth and 1.4–3.6m in width. The peat surrounding the wood (Context 1) was composed of poorly humified Sphagnum-rich peat with occasional Eriophorum and Calluna inclusions.

The western extent of the trackway was badly damaged but its composition indicated that it is a continuation of the Plank Trackway (09E0298). This site is all that remains of a very substantial Late Bronze Age trackway that was constructed to traverse the northern end of Templetouhy Bog.
Post-excavation work is ongoing at the time of writing. Specialist analysis of palaeoenvironmental samples, wood species samples and woodworking will provide a greater insight into the environmental conditions contemporary with the site, the species selected for use in the construction of the site and the type of tools used to fell the trees used within the structure.