County: Dublin Site name: DUBLIN: 40 Ormond Quay
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 97E0013
Author: Helen Kehoe, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Burial ground
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 715630m, N 734355m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.346768, -6.263360
A short rescue excavation was carried out at No. 40 Ormond Quay, Dublin 2, between 21 and 23 July 1997. The excavation was initiated in response to human skeletal remains being uncovered during substructural activity of development works in progress. Once it had been established by the State Pathologist that the remains were not recent in date, an excavation licence was granted by the Heritage Service with immediate effect.
Initial investigation indicated that the bone deposits, 0.3m in depth, were not articulated except for one complete left foot and an articulated right hip bone and femur. All the bone remains were situated within a sandy hard grey clay with quicklime and charcoal deposits spread throughout. Initial counting suggested the remains of at least twelve individuals. The bones generally conveyed all the hallmarks of having been anatomically dissected and cut. Several of the skulls and long bones had obviously been cut cleanly, both laterally and longitudinally, in a precise manner. Greenish residue and associated small perforations found on some of the rib bones indicate that some of the bodies/skeletons were hoisted up onto stakes and secured with copper wiring for teaching purposes, a practice common in anatomical schools in the 18th century. All of the bones had been dumped in a rectangular red brick cellar structure, mainly in one pile against the western wall.
Rath House, Ferndale Road, Rathmichael, Co. Dublin
