Road — class 1 togher in Clonad (phillipstown Lower By.)

The site (L 162.6m min.; Wth 2.3m; D 0.2m) is orientated NE-SW consists of a layer of longitudinal roundwoods upon which lie transverse timbers and occasional brushwood, at the primary sighting. Pegs secure the outer edges of the site, a large number of which have been split or squared. One of the timbers has mortices at each end. The condition of the site varies along its length. All field surface sightings have suffered machine damage, with one sighting comprising only of three horizontal elements and ninety-nine pegs. This site lies in moderately humified Sphagnum peat with Eriophorum and ericaceous remains. SMR OF018-103---- is located 2.6m to the NE and a large number of sites are in the vicinity of this site. Compiled by: Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (University College Dublin). This site was recorded by the Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (UCD) in 2001 as a primary togher, visible at five sightings at varying depths beneath the field surface and orientated from north-east to south-west (Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (UCD) 2002). The condition of the site was recorded as varying along its length, with all the field surface sightings having suffered damage. Three cuttings were excavated under licence no. 04E0727 over OFCL00013 all measuring 6m by 4m. The site had suffered very badly from the activity of machines. Only one of the cuttings (Cutting 3) contained more than one layer of wood and even then the wood was in very poor condition. It is hard to draw any conclusions about this site, given its poor state of preservation and the fact that no other sightings of the site remain. From the excavation evidence and the record from the 2001 survey, it appears to be the remains of a north-east/south-west orientated trackway linking two areas of dry land across a narrow part of the bog. Samples obtained will be sent for radiocarbon dating. This site appears to have served the same function as OF-CL00002 and OF-CL00004 (Nos 1388 and 1389 above) and dating evidence may help to ascertain its relationship, if any, with these other two trackways. Reference Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (UCD) 2002 Archaeological survey report: Clonad Bog, Co. Offaly. Unpublished report commissioned by Duchas, the Heritage Service. Eoin Corcoran, Archaeological Development Services Ltd, Windsor House, 11 Fairview Strand, Dublin 3. Date of revision: 23 April 2009