County: Dublin Site name: Astagob (Castleknock By., Castleknock ED)/Cappagh/Cappoge/Clonburris Great/Coolmine (Castleknock By.)/Corduff (Castleknock By.)/Dardistown/Irishtown (
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 10E0410
Author: Jane Whitaker and Kara Ward, Archaeological Development Services Ltd, Unit 6, Channel Wharf, 21 Old Channel Road, Belfast, BT3 9DE.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 706762m, N 735821m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.361807, -6.395994
Monitoring of preliminary ground investigations was undertaken for the route of Metro West, a twin-track light rail system which will serve approximately a 25km corridor from the junction of Belgard Road/Old Blessington Road in Tallaght to Dardistown.
Geotechnical investigations were required in order to provide factual data for use in the design and construction. It was proposed to undertake cable percussion and rotary cored boreholes, together with trial-pits to determine the nature and thickness of the underlying soils, and also to ascertain the level and nature of the underlying rock as well as infiltration rates.
Monitoring of boreholes and trial-pits was carried out in those areas deemed to be within or adjacent to the zones of archaeological potential for a number of RMP sites including DU017–005 (ringfort – unclassified); DU014–027 (castle/tower-house); DU014–021 (field system, possible); DU013–019 (church and graveyard; national monument). In addition, a number of boreholes/trial-pits were within or adjacent to a number of areas of archaeological potential as identified by the Metro West environmental impact statement (EIS).
The locations of these works were geographically dispersed along the proposed route and within the townlands of Astagob (Castleknock By., Castleknock ED), Cappagh, Cappoge, Clonburris Great, Coolmine (Castleknock By.), Corduff (Castleknock By.), Dardistown, Irishtown (Castleknock By.), Merryfalls, Ronanstown, Silloge, Snugborough (Castleknock By.).
The excavation of a total of twelve trial-pits and thirteen boreholes was subject to monitoring along the route. A further ten trial-pits, five boreholes and five infiltration test-pits were monitored at the location of the Metro North depot in Dardistown. Nothing of apparent archaeological significance was located in any of the pits or boreholes.
