County: Limerick Site name: Garryduff 2
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 12E002
Author: Shane Delaney
Site type: Bronze Age roundhouse, pits and vernacular cottage
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 523702m, N 632087m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.434937, -9.122081
Excavation was carried out at Garryduff 2 as part of the N21 Killarney Pole to Barnagh Road Realignment. The route was initially subject to testing by Dave Bayley in 2011 (Excavations 2011, No. 404, 11E349) and three areas of archaeological potential were identified within the townland of Garryduff (1-3). The main archaeological evidence identified at Garryduff 2 consisted of a Bronze Age roundhouse, which was defined by a curvilinear slot trench, post-holes, stake-holes and pits. A second structure defined by stake-holes was identified immediately to the east of the roundhouse and may have been an annex. Little diagnostic material was identified from any of the features although some Bronze Age pottery was recovered from one pit. A range of carbon dates was obtained for the structure and associated features. These produced 2 sigma calibrated dates, which for the most part indicate that the structure dates to the Middle Bronze Age. However, the pits interpreted as forming the internal support posts, produced an Early Bronze Age date. This perhaps indicates continuity in usage of the structure site from the early into the Middle Bronze Age period.
Garryduff 2 also contained the remains of a vernacular house and two linear ditches. The house and one of the ditches are marked on the 1st edition OS map and were designated as AAP 15 in the EIA (Tobin, 2011). To the east of the house further pits and possible post-holes and a trough or cooking pit were identified. The trough returned a mid to Late Bronze Age date, indicating it may have been associated with the house structure.
Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120b Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow
