County: Dublin Site name: ROBSWALL, Portmarnock
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 99E0550 ext.
Author: Ian W. Doyle, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Prehistoric site - lithic scatter and Hearth
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 723930m, N 745214m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.442431, -6.134523
Monitoring of topsoil-stripping for this complex of playing pitches was carried out in October- December 1999. This followed an earlier phase of monitoring by Helen Kehoe and field-walking and testing by Malachy Conway (No. 263 Excavations 1999).
Three separate areas/activities were monitored. These included the stripping of topsoil and subsoil for the playing pitches, the excavation of the foundation trenches for the clubhouse building, and an associated service trench.
Within the area stripped for the playing pitches occasional medium-sized and large stones were revealed. Clusters of these were examined to ascertain whether they acted as flint-knapping areas. No indications of such in situ activity were revealed. Several pieces of flint were recovered during stripping, although no features that could be associated with this material were observed. A single stone-packed post-hole was revealed toward the centre of the site. Despite cleaning around this, no associated features were found. In the north-east of the site a small hearth was revealed. This appeared to be the result of a single episode of burning.
The excavation of drains for the playing pitches was also monitored. No archaeological finds or features were exposed during their excavation. Excavation of the clubhouse foundations and the associated service trench did not reveal archaeological material.
Some 24 pieces of struck flint were recovered from the area stripped. These appear to have derived from small water-rolled pebbles, collected from the nearby seashore and used for knapping. The collection consists of twelve portions of crudely worked cores and the discarded products of core reduction. Five small flakes were recovered, of which one has slight indications of retouch, although this may equally be damage sustained in the ploughsoil. All of the lithic material found is quite patinated.
2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin
