County: Offaly Site name: Rathdrum, Daingean South Bog
Sites and Monuments Record No.: n/a Licence number: 14E0305
Author: Jane Whitaker
Site type: Structure - Peatland
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 642825m, N 728575m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.305734, -7.357455
Daingean South Bog was surveyed by the Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (IAWU) during the 2001 Archaeological Survey of Ireland Peatland Survey. In 2004 seven sites were excavated by Sinclair Turrell as part of the Bord na Móna Mitigation Project. A Re-Assessment survey was carried out on behalf of Bórd na Mona in 2013 by the author under licence 13E0230 and subsequently twelve sites were excavated in August 2014 by IAC Ltd during the 2014-2017 BnM Mitigation Project.
The 2013 survey recorded the site OF-DAS023 as a deposit of twigs, brushwood and roundwood exposed on the field surface at the drain edge to the north of OF-DAS021c. This site had no apparent form or function and the elements ranged in diameter from 0.02-0.08m and had a maximum surviving length of 1.04m. A date of AD 1217–1293 was obtained from a piece of hazel sampled during the survey. The peat was moderately humified sphagnum with occasional eriophorum and sedge inclusions.The find spot of OF–DAS023 was relocated in September 2014 using GPS. The surrounding field surface and drain face were carefully investigated however no wood remained in situ.
IAC Ltd, Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co Wicklow
