Platform - peatland

The National Monuments Service's description

This site was located in the industrial peatlands of Cloonshannagh Bog. It was first recorded in the 2013 Peatland Reassessment Survey as a togher, visible on the field surface at two sightings across the width of a single field (Whitaker 2014).

The site was excavated in 2014, under licence 14E0269, and dated to cal. AD 676-877. On excavation, the monument was found to be a platform rather than a togher. It was sub-rectangular in shape, and consisted of mainly brushwood elements as well as some small roundwoods. The smaller elements were laid with a N-S orientation, with the brushwoods laid over them orientated E-W. The elements were moderately to well preserved with bark present on many. The lower brushwood elements were quite densely packed with the overlying roundwoods more sparsely laid.
A number of smaller brushwood elements continued beyond the E site limit, although the larger roundwoods had clearly terminated. It is unclear therefore if the site continued across the field to the east.
Approximately 12 worked ends were recorded. Identified element species were alder, hazel and holly (Coughlan and Whitaker 2019).

Compiled by: Femke Vleeshouwer/Jane Whitaker/Tim Coughlan

Date of upload: 17 April 2020

References

Whitaker, J. 2014 Re‐assessment Peatland Survey 2013, Blackwater, Boora, Derrydreenagh, Mountdillon Group of Bogs, County Offaly, Longford, Westmeath and Roscommon. Unpublished report prepared by ADS for Bord na Móna.

Coughlan, T & Whitaker, J 2019 Final excavation report Cloonshannagh Bog, Co Roscommon. Bord na Mona Peatland Archaeological Services 2014-2017. Unpublished report submitted to DOEHLG & BnM