2015:327 - Lisnamanroe, Garranes, Cork

A fifth and final season of archaeological excavation was undertaken at the levelled monument of Lisnamanroe, Garranes townland, Co. Cork. The site is a circular earthwork enclosure of late Iron Age/early medieval date, adjacent to the well-known trivallate ringfort of Lisnacaheragh, Garranes. A single trench was excavated over a four-week period in May 2015. This confirmed that the interior of the enclosure was cultivated in the early modern era, with spade-dug lazy-beds disturbing an earlier occupation surface. A large number of archaeological features (stake-holes, post-holes and pits) connected to habitation were discovered. There are indications of one or more built structures, the precise nature of which is unclear. The presence of large postholes confirms that some of these structures required substantial posts, while the large number of stakeholes indicates that others were made of slender stakes. Samples for radiocarbon dating were recovered, as were a small number of early medieval artifacts, including two glass beads, two spindle whorls and a short length of bronze chain. A number of later artifacts were also recovered, including pottery, glass, corroded iron, as well as iron slag and vitrified limestone of early modern date.