2014:291 - Pallasboy, Toar Bog, Westmeath

Toar Bog was initially surveyed by the Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit during the 2000 Archaeological Survey of Ireland Peatland Survey. In 2005 and 2006 33 sites were excavated under 25 licences by the author. A re-assessment survey of Toar Bog was carried out in 2013 and subsequently a further 19 sites were proposed for excavation in 2014 as part of the Bord na Móna Mitigation Project in the townlands of Killavally, Pallasboy, Montrath and Rathgarrett.
Excavation revealed WM-TOR044 as a fairly disperse togher composed of mainly north-east/south-west oriented brushwood and roundwoods covering an area 0.92–2.06m in width. Several elements had intact bark remaining and many were fairly irregularly shaped branchy elements with toolmarked ends. They ranged in diameter from 0.2–0.06m and 0.1–1.06m in length. The worked ends were mainly flat faceted chisel points with occasional wedge points also noted. A leather fragment, most likely part of a shoe, was recovered from the south-western extent of the cutting. A date of AD 1031–1155 was returned from a piece of alder brushwood. The underlying peat was moderately to well-humified sphagnum peat with frequent sedge and occasional calluna inclusions. An area of pool peat was noted at the south-eastern extent of the cutting.

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