2019:446 - DUBLIN: Military Road, Dublin

The site is located in the townland of Dublin South City. The triangular-shaped site is bounded by St John’s Road West to the north, Military Road to the west and a surface carpark to the east. The Cammock River runs along the east of the site. This area is within the zone of archaeological potential for DU018-020 (Historic Town: Dublin South City, Dublin North City), which is subject to statutory protection under Section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, and is located within the ‘Zone of Archaeological Interest’ in the Dublin City Development Plan 2016–2022. The site is also within the environs of three protected structures: the East Gate Lodge of the Royal Hospital (RPS No. 5245), the Phoenix Deer Park wall (RPS No. 5246) and the Royal Hospital (Kilmainham) complex (RPS No. 8731). The Deer Park wall, built in the 17th century to enclose the parklands on the southern side of the River Liffey, extends along the eastern side of the development area, originally dividing the property belonging to Dr Steeven’s hospital on the south and the Royal Infirmary on the north.

Testing was previously carried out by Claire Walsh under licence number 02E0067 in February 2002, when 12 test trenches were excavated within the proposed development area and directly to the west. In general, the soil covering the site was very thin and the natural subsoil was present below modern stratigraphy with very little 18th-century garden soils remaining. An Early Bronze Age food vessel, complete with cremation, was identified in a trench west of the proposed development site. The testing and monitoring were carried out at the design stage. The Part 9 Planning Consultation was advertised on 22 December 2017, with complete tender documentation completed by the end of 2018, and construction expected at the beginning of 2020.

A total of 15 test trenches were excavated and the excavation of 15 test pits was archaeologically monitored in the areas to be disturbed by the proposed development. The sod and topsoil (C01) measured an average of 0.5m in thickness and lay above a thick layer of mid-brown sandy clay garden soils (C03), which lay above the natural orange sandy clay and stone (C04).

No archaeological features or deposits were identified and no finds were recovered.