2014:336 - CLS001J-L, Northyard, Cloonshannagh Bog, Roscommon

Cloonshannagh Bog is located 3km north-west of Termonbarry and 2.5km west of Lough Forbes. The bog is part of the Bord na Móna Mountdillon Group and has a total area of 331ha. A survey in 2008 by ADS under licence 08E0645 identified a total of 88 sites. Upon re-assessment by ADS in 2013, under licence number 13E0221, 89 sites were recorded. Of the 89 sightings, 60 were platform sightings, 18 sightings were of archaeological wood and 11 were trackway sightings, all of varying lengths and widths. Of these 35 sites were listed for excavation as part of the current contract.

CLS001 was located in the south-west corner of Cloonshannagh Bog and was oriented north-west/south-east. During the 2008 Peatland Survey thirteen sightings, a-m, were noted, however by 2013 only three remained j, k, and l. A single cutting measuring 2.5m x 7m was excavated at sighting J .

The site consisted of a longitudinally laid roundwood superstructure, consisting of 2-3 timbers laid side by side. This overlaid a transversely laid roundwood substructure with smaller elements scattered between the larger timbers, generally longitudinally laid. The site was orientated north-west/south-east. The elements were generally sparsely laid with higher concentration of longitudinal elements in the centre of the site. The general condition of all elements was very poor and they were very soft to touch; it was often difficult to distinguish between the elements and the surrounding peat due to the poor preservation. Three small stones were evident along the length of the track, suggesting that stone may have been used as a significant element at some point on the track. The in situ stones within the cutting did not provide structural function but may have been “dropped” from a later deposit.

The eastern end of the excavation cutting was on the field surface but the site was 0.75m below the field surface near the centre of the Bord na Móna field. This was accounted for by higher peat levels in the centre of the field but also by the fact that the track level dropped by 0.5m along the length of the cutting. The peat above the site was very dark brown, very laminated and moderately- to well-decomposed, being more noticeably well-decomposed in the deeper western side of the cutting. There were sporadic inclusions of hazelnut shells and heather roots with some pockets of eriophorum. The peat below the site consisted of similar material with possibly higher inclusions of roots and twigs.

The site was previously dated by ADS to 2460–2210 BC (UBA 11303) although the present excavation cutting is as yet undated.

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