Road — road/trackway in Kyle (clandonagh By., Kyle Ed)

Part of the Slighe Dhala running on a NE-SW axis can be still be seen in the field to the S of St Moula's church and graveyard (LA015-023001/002-). This ancient roadway today can be traced for a distance of 82m where it takes the form of a hollow-way (Wth 4m; ext. D. 1m; L 82m) running in a NE-SW direction that is delimited by two earthen banks flanking the medieval roadway (Ftizpatrick 2003, 169). Aerial photographs that were taken in 1996 show the cropmark of this levelled roadway in the adjoining field to the E of the upstanding section. The extant portion of the roadway is today incorporated into the field boundary where it has survived intact to the present day. The other sections of the Slighe Dhala that can still be seen running through Co. Laois can be traced at Ballaghmore (LA015-018) and in the townland of Cashel (Upperwoods By.) (LA022-005005-). The section of the road described above consists of a sunken linear ditch (top Wth. 6m; base Wth. 2.3m; ext. D 1m) flanked on either side by an earthen bank (Top Wth. 3m; base Wth. 1.5m; ext. H0.3m ) running on a NE-SW direction. This earthwork is located on flat poorly drained land within a field that is covered in drainage earthworks of 18th-19th century date, the ditch at time of visit was waterlogged and does not have the appearance of a medieval roadway or the profiled of a medieval road. The base of the dicth is very narrow and the sides are not distinct, this feature may be a drainage ditch associated with the drainage earthworks/platforms in the adjoining field. Area 4 marked on aerial photograph in article is a field boundary delimiting very wet poorly drained land and a stream which forms the dog-leg shape, the topogrpahy here is totally unsuitable for a medieval roadway and there is no evidence for such a road in this area marked on the aerial photograph. During site inspection this field between the bank and the stream was covered in low drainage platforms and the land was so wet that it was impossible to walk. Very unlikely location for a medieval roadway. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 17 December 2007