2010:080 - TONYQUIN, Cavan

An excavation was undertaken at Tonyquin townland, Swanlinbar, Co. Cavan, in advance of a proposed quarry extension to be operated by the Quinn Group. The excavation sought to examine 300 features of archaeological potential recorded at the site by Jean O’Dowd during an earlier phase of investigation (see No. 79, Excavations 2010) and was carried out under an extension to the existing license.

Archaeological features identified at Tonyquin comprised an unenclosed middle Bronze Age settlement comprising a house and associated features. The house was a post-built, circular structure of approximately 9m in diameter and was formed by a double row of posts, an eastern entrance and a centrally placed internal hearth. The relative depths of the post-holes indicated that the inner ring functioned as the main roof support while the outer ring would have supported the external wall.

Elsewhere within the site there was evidence for pits, post- and stake-holes that were concentrated around the house and probably associated with this settlement. Additionally, three large pits/wells may have provided a water source.

A radiocarbon date of 1680–1510 BC (SUERC–32945 3310 ± 30 BP) was returned for the fill of one of the post-holes from the house.