- Site of Newgate Prison, Halston Street, Dublin 7, Dublin

In December 1976 human remains were discovered during the stripping of a concrete yard at Halston Street, off Capel Street, in Dublin city centre. The work was being carried out by Dublin Corporation and the site was within the grounds of the old Newgate Prison.⁷² Human bone was found scattered over an area measuring 3m by 5m, at a depth of 0.2–0.3m below the surface. The human remains (1976:610) were mixed with bits of broken sewer pipe, glass and brick, all of nineteenth-century date. The bone was examined by Professor C.A. Erskine of Trinity College and found to represent the remains of an adult male of small build, aged 20–30 years; a number of bones of a child aged 2–3 years were also found. The handle of a toothbrush was found amongst the human remains. It was inscribed ‘Knaggs Chemist Dublin’ and ‘Russia Bristle’. Further human remains were discovered four days later, at a depth of 0.6–1.3m, again mixed with pottery and tiles of nineteenth-century date. The bones, representing at least six individuals,⁷³ were banked up against the south-western corner of the building.

Human remains

C.A. ERSKINE

The collection (1976:610) comprises thirteen fragments of a skeleton of an adult male aged 20–30 years, of small build. Skull fragments comprise squamous part [of the] occipital, parietal and one temporal bone with a separate temporal bone. Head of right mandible and two small fragments of ramus also present with lower two. Three of right femur with wellmarked muscle markings, and upper quarter of left tibia; one fragment of left head, neck and ramus of mandible of a child of 2–3 years. One animal bone and a bone toothbrush handle of good quality also present.

72. Inn’s Quay Ward. OS 6in. sheet 18. SMR DU018-303——.
73. These remains were not acquired by the Museum.