Dr. Kelly suggests that (2006:28)"These are reminders that a central function of themarriage of the king and the earth goddess was to ensurethe fertility of the land and the wellbeing of the peoplewho were dependent for survival on reliable yields of corn,milk and milk products.” His study, which also suggests the importance of peripheral or boundary locations found that nine samples of Irish Iron Age bog butter were all found onor in close proximity to boundaries, five near baronyboundaries and three near parish boundaries.
One very interesting example, which would seem to support his theory is that of Clongownagh Bog, in the townland of Baronstown West, Barony of Connell wherein 1954 “one of the samples of bog butter wasfound in the same bog as an Irish Iron Age bog body”.
As far back as the 40’s those working in the bogs of county Kildare frequently reported their finds to the National Museum. In 1947, several other finds were also reported. At Clonkeeran, in the Barony of Carbury a section of a bog road was uncovered, while at Mucklon, also in the Barony of Carbury a leather shoe and wooden vessel were found, and at Derries bog wooden discs and bones were uncovered.
Bog roads, or trackways, such as that at Clonkeeran are also a common discovery in Kildare, and indeed all over the midlands and other areas which contain large areas of peatland. According to the Irish Peatland Conservation Council (2) over 200 track ways have been found in Irish bogs and are common in Counties Kildare, Leitrim, Galway, Longford, Meath, Offaly, Tipperary and Westmeath. Those in Kildare include one atClonegath in the Townland of Oghil, which also included the discovery of quernstones, and others at Cloncarlin(Td. Oghil), Timahoe, and Lullymore all in the sixties. Another, in this case a stone-paved road was uncovered at Rathbride in 1974 and one at Drehid in 1985.
In some cases the records are particularly poor, such as that of a Wooden object at Timahoe in 1950 and similarly at Tankardstown in 1953. Whether the nature of these objects was apparent or not is unclear, however the records seems to suggest they were un-identifiable.
There are also the existence of several finds which suggest activity in earlier periods than that usually associated with the bog-lands. Finds such as a stone axe-head from Cloncarlin Bog, another from Dawson’s bog, Oldtowndonore, a flint arrowhead from Timahoe West are all perhaps indicators of Neolithic activity in the bogs.
Leather objects are also occasionally found preserved in bogs, due to the nature of the soil, such as a leather shoe found in a sack of turf, believed to have originated at Timahoe, in the Barony of Clane, another at Ticknevin, in the Barony of Carbury, three found at Ballindoolin, also in the Barony of Carbury and another more recently, in 2001 the discovery of a leather belt in a bog in the County.
Several Bronze objects have also turned up over the years, including a bronze dirk found in a bog at Rosberry in 1981, a drinking vessel, found in Derrylea Bog, Quinsborough and a Bronze sword blade found at Lullymore Bog in 1999.
Other various discoveries include a possible Togher at Lattensbog, Human/Human Bones from Timahoe bog, a wooden object from Mulgeeth, wooden spade from Timarve, Bones at Donaghdea, worked timbers from a bog at Killenagh, and various other finds from Lullymore.
Admittedly many of the older finds were not susceptible to the levels of examination possible now, and one is forced to consider what information has been lost from these finds forever. However, it is also clear that much is still to be learned from an analysis of these objects. While this article simply outlines the wealth of the bog-finds originating in this county, it also opens our eyes to the possibilities of further research. Perhaps a study of the find-spots of these artefacts would prove useful in supporting or questioning the recent theory regarding the boundary locations of ritual deposits suggested by Ned Kelly. It is also possible that careful re-examination of these finds would add to our understanding of areas of inhabitation, important territorial boundaries and the artefacts associated with ritual deposition in particular areas.
(1) Kelly, E. P. (Summer 2006)Archaeology Ireland Dublin : Irish Academic Publications
(2) www.ipcc.ie
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