2020:013 - Clongawney More, Derrinlough, Drinagh, Timolin, Carrick, Balliver, Galros East, Clooneen, Cortullagh or Grove, Offaly

Monitoring of site investigation works for renewable energy was carried out at Clongawney and Drinagh Bogs, County Offaly over a period of eight days between January and November 2019. The excavation of a total of 59 trial pits was monitored over this period within an area of predominantly cut-over bog, some parts of which are colonised with vegetation. Where such vegetation was present it largely took the form of heather and grasses, however, some areas were also under tree cover.
The stratigraphy noted within the trial pits varied throughout the site but typically consisted of an upper layer of loose, soft rooty peat overlying layers of fibrous peat. The underlying natural subsoil comprised a grey clay or gravelly clay. In some areas only shallow peat cover was apparent (e.g. TPs 6-7, BP3 TP1 & TP2, TP/CSH2, TP/T19, TP/T12, TP20a and TP/T15).
Pieces of wood were noted within three trial pits excavated at Compounds 2, 3 and 6 respectively. Compounds 2 and 3 were located in Clongawney Bog, while Compound 6 was located in Drinagh Bog (the proposed compound in Drinagh has now been moved further to the east).
At Compound 3 (now a proposed security hut in Clongawney) a single isolated piece of wood was identified within the trial pit (TPC SH1), however, no other potentially associated wood or structures were noted. The wood was noted at the base of the peat overlying the natural clay at a depth of 2.8m. No definitive archaeological structure was noted at Compound 3. At Compound 2 (TP CC2) two east-west running pieces of wood were identified at a depth of 0.38m below the present ground level. A definitive archaeological structure was not identified here, and no other potentially associated wood or structure was identified within the limits of the trial pit. At Compound 6 (TPCC4) four horizontal pieces of wood were observed within the trial pit at a depth of 0.65m. Two of the longer pieces were exposed for a distance of 2.4m and 1.2m (north-east/south-west) and had widths of 0.31m and 0.25m respectively and were 0.8m apart. Between the aforementioned pieces of wood two shorter pieces of wood were noted and measured 0.5m and 0.7m in length north-west/south-east. While it was not possible to discern a definitive archaeological structure from the wood observed within the limits of the trial pit, it is possible that they have some archaeological potential. The timbers were preserved in situ. The proposed compound and adjacent site road are now located c. 60m to the east of where the trial pit containing the wood was excavated. No direct impact to the wood is therefore anticipated. It does, however, highlight the potential for uncovering potential sub-surface archaeological sites and features during the construction stage of the wind farm development should it proceed.

Tobar Archaeological Services, Saleen, Midleton, County Cork