Ring-ditch in Kilree (knocktopher By.)

On a relatively flat field adjacent to the River Nore and its floodplain to the E. Excavated in 2007/8 in advance of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road scheme (Licence no. E3730). A double penannular ring-ditch (inner ditch: diam. 10.4m x 9.8m; outer ditch: diam. 19.8m x 16.7m) cut at E by a field boundary. The entrance for both ring-ditches faces E, suggesting the river was an important focus for the site. In the interior were four post-holes and a large waste pit. A group of 17 stake-holes, two of which were cut by a possible cremation pit were just outside to the SW and were probably contemporary. The fills of the ring-ditch contained charcoal, burnt bone, animal bone and shells. Two Bann flakes are likely to have been residual rather than indicative of an earlier date. There was no evidence of a bank or of any recuts within either the inner or outer ring-ditch. The ring-ditch was cut by a large medieval square enclosure (KK024-127----). (Whitty and Lynch 2009; Lynch 2010, 235, no. 885) Compiled by: Mary Tunney Date of upload: 12 November 2013