1998:123 - THE BUNGALOW, Ards, Cabinteely, Dublin

It is proposed to construct a rear extension and front porch to an existing dwelling, 'The Bungalow', Ards, Cabinteely, Co. Dublin. This bungalow rests on a registered cemetery site.

An excavation by Malachy Conway beneath the neighbouring Esso service station revealed c. 1500 human burials, ranging in date from the 5th/6th century to the 12th century (No. 124, Excavations 1998) The excavation also revealed that the cemetery had been enclosed by a succession of three ditches. Mr Conway projected that the inner ditch may have continued under the proposed extension and that the middle ditch may have crossed under the proposed porch.

The test excavation took place between 8 and 11 December 1998. The excavation comprised four hand-cut trenches (A, B, C and D), which failed to reveal any primary burial activity, suggesting that burials may be confined to the area south of the bungalow. In all, only three main features were exposed: a large ditch, a gully-like cut and part of a large cut feature.

The origin and function of the ditch were unclear. It did not appear to follow the projected line of any of the three ditches uncovered during Mr Conway's excavation. The only find was a rotary quern fragment. The ditch cut into a series of sterile, orange/brown clays and sands. The gully-like feature appears to have been contemporary with the ditch but produced no finds. The test excavation failed to pick up the line of the inner ditch, but the large cut feature exposed in Test-trench D, at 0.8m below ground level (50.59m OD), may have been part of the cemetery's middle ditch.

44 Eaton Heights, Cobh, Co. Cork