- Baldoyle, Co. Dublin, Dublin

In October 1994 human remains were discovered during building operations at a site off Warren House Road, Baldoyle, Dublin.⁶⁷ The bone was discovered by the builder’s security guard and was reported to the Gardaí the following morning. The state pathologist, Dr John Harbison, was called to the scene and excavated the skeleton.⁶⁸ As the Museum was not informed of the find until after Dr Harbison’s investigation, this report is based on his account of the site. The topsoil overlying the sand containing the burial rose to a maximum height of 0.46m over the sand, but diminished eastwards towards the sea. The skeleton (1994:56) was buried in the sand layer, and lay on coarse gravel containing some water-rolled pebbles. The fact that the burial was completely sealed by the sand layer suggested that it was not a recent interment. The body lay extended in a supine position with the head to the west and the feet to the east. The left arm was extended by the side, with the hand bones lying over the pelvic region, beside the upper end of the left femur. The pelvis was tilted with the right side up and the left side down. All that remained of the right arms was the shoulder-blade. Professor Harbison concluded that the remains were probably those of an adult male.

67. Parish of Baldoyle, barony of Coolock. OS 6in. sheet 15; exact location not known. SMR DU015-108——.
68. Professor Charles Holland also visited the site in order to examine the geology and context of the burial. He confirmed that the body had been buried in sand of marine origin.