County: Tipperary Site name: Longfordpass Bog, Kilmakill and Longfordpass North
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 10E0332
Author: Jane Whitaker, Archaeological Development Services Ltd, Unit 4, The Printhouse, 22–23 South Cumberland Street, Dublin 2.
Site type: Plank trackway
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 622567m, N 661786m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.706728, -7.666055
This plank trackway was located on the north-western side of the bog and at the time of the 2006 Peatland Survey it was visible, in the drain faces and on the bog surface, at six sightings. It was orientated north-west/south-east and was composed of longitudinally laid oak planks and roundwood elements. The composition of the trackway was consistent at all six sightings at the time of the 2006 Peatland Survey and was dated by dendrochronological dating to 1559±9 bc.
The site measured 0.3–2.8m in width, 0.05–0.17m in depth and was traced for a length of 60m and was excavated in three cuttings, each measuring 3m x 4m. It was composed of longitudinal planks laid end to end and supported by occasional short transverse planks. No pegs were noted in any of the three cuttings excavated, but mortise holes were recorded on three of the timbers. The wood exposed in Cutting 1 was badly disturbed by the milling process but Cuttings 2 and 3 clearly showed the construction method. The peat was indicative of several pools along its surviving length of 60m. It is possible that this site initially crossed the entire width of this part of Longfordpass Bog, as it is the narrowest part of the bog, but no further sightings were located during the 2010 season.
