1995:052 - COOLDRINAGH, Dublin

In early 1995, a waterworks scheme being undertaken by Fingal County Council, near Leixlip, necessitated the laying of a new water-pipe which would transect the edge of a low, circular mound, thought to be of possible archaeological significance. A two-week archaeological evaluation of the site indicated that the mound was of definite artificial construction and on this basis it was agreed that a full excavation of that part of the site under threat would be carried out. Part of the mound extended across a property boundary.

Full excavation began by stripping the sod off the entire mound. This revealed a stony crust which covered the summit of the mound and also revealed an earthy band which corresponded with a slight depression which encircled the mound base. A copper-alloy spiral-ringed pin was found in the stony crust. Investigation of the earthy band proved it to be a shallow ditch approximately 0.7m wide and 0.25m deep. Finds from the ditch included flint flakes, modern pottery and fragments of red brick.

The evaluation had indicated that the mound was of homogeneous composition and excavation proceeded by removing the mound in 0.1m spits, working horizontally over the top of the mound while leaving an east-west baulk standing across the centre. Modern and medieval pottery throughout the mound body proved that it had been extensively disturbed almost, but not quite, as far as the old ground surface. A copper-alloy brooch pin was found at the edge of the mound body. Flint fragments, particularly flakes, and occasional fragments of burnt bone occurred throughout the mound body. Removal of the mound down to the old ground surface revealed an earlier enclosing ditch in the approximate same location as the other ditch. This earlier ditch had been cut into the old ground surface and it had been obscured by slippage from the edge of the mound. Finds from this ditch included animal bone, tiny fragments of cremated bone and flint flakes. In profile this ditch had steeply sloping sides and a flat base and it varied in width from approximately 1.3m to 1.8m with an average depth of 0.6m from the old ground surface. It appeared that the later ditch was cut into the fill of the earlier ditch.

An oval patch on the old ground surface on the northern side of the site turned out to be a shallow bowl-shaped pit, measuring approximately 3m x 2m and 0.3m deep. This feature also produced animal bone, burnt fragments of bone, a flint flake and a large nodule of flint, a possible copper strap-end, an iron stem and a blue glass bead. A narrow V-sectioned trench led 2.3m from the western edge of this pit. This produced a piece of iron slag and animal bone.

Removal of the mound on the southern side revealed a deep funnel-shaped pit complex. In its entirety this feature measured approximately 1.5m in depth and approximately 3.5m x 2.5m in plan, with a linear extension, 2m x 1.4m, running from its eastern side. It was composed of a number of separate recuts which contained different fills, one of which consisted of a loose black and grey silty sand with a high concentration of charcoal and ash and frequent fragments of burnt bone; it is possible that this deposit represented a cremated burial or part thereof. Finds from the various fills included flint fragments and flakes, iron slag and an iron object. The uppermost fill of this pit complex was cut by the early ditch, indicating that this feature pre-dates the construction of the mound.

This site appears to represent a ring-barrow which had been extensively disturbed by later activity. It is possible that the site was the focus of early antiquarian interest and that the later encircling ditch represents an antiquarian attempt to emphasise its suspected archaeological nature.

39 Kerdiff Park, Monread, Naas, Co. Kildare