2014:265 - Clonad, Clonad Bog, Offaly

Clonad Bog was initially surveyed by the Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (IAWU) during the course of the 2001 Archaeological Survey of Ireland, Peatland Survey. Seven of the sites identified were excavated in 2004 by Eoin Corcoran. A Re-Assessment survey was carried out on behalf of Bord na Móna in 2013 by the author under licence number 13E0229 and subsequently three sites were excavated in August 2014 by IAC Ltd during the 2014-2017 BnM Mitigation Project.
This site (OF-CND006) was located on a stockpile field. The overlying peat had a maximum depth of 0.45m and was composed of moderately decomposed sphagnum peat containing a lot of fibrous matter, calluna roots and patches of eriophorum. The site was composed of six heavy roundwoods oriented north-east/south-west and closely placed and fairly uniform in size ranging in diameter from 0.14–0.18m and in surviving length from 1.9–2.55m creating a surface 1.55m in width. Two overlying brushwood elements were recorded at the south-western extent of the cutting. The roundwoods were moderately well preserved. Multiple faceted concave toolmarks were noted at the south-eastern extent of two of the timbers one of which was sampled for dendrochronological analysis and returned a date of 1064BC±9BC. The underlying peat was similar to that above and was moderately well-humified sphagnum peat with a high fibrous content and calluna roots and patches of eriophorum throughout the cutting. The adjoining fields to the west were considerably lower and it was not possible to trace further sightings or indeed determine if the excavated site represented the remains of a togher or a platform.

IAC Ltd, Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co Wicklow