What is recorded here

Clear peatland in Offaly holds a scattered bed of worked wood, alder, birch and ash, suggesting human activity rather than a single defined monument. The wood lies shallow across at least fourteen by seventeen metres, with two small brushwood deposits joined by a twiggy trail. That much is known; the rest belongs to imagination. People may have lived, worked or played there before the peat closed over them.

An extensive spread of material including milled woodchips and other worked wood on the field surface (dims. 14m min. x 17m min. NW-SE; D 0.09m min.) which probably represents a number of sites within this area. In one area, two small deposits of brushwood are 0.65m apart but are joined by a scatter of twigs. One of these consists of a concentration of approximately parallel light brushwood. A second spread consists of an irregular and dispersed deposit of heavy brushwood. Alder, birch and ash were the species identified. The material is situated in poorly humified Sphagnum peat containing Eriophorum and ericaceous root. Recorded by the Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (University College, Dublin) in 1996. The evidence is not sufficient to warrant its acceptance as the remains of an archaeological monument. The original survey description was compiled by the Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (University College, Dublin). Assessed and revised by: Caimin O'Brien, Paul Walsh Date of upload: 23 May 2011

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