County: Kildare Site name: KILDARE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 98E0574
Author: Hilary Opie
Site type: Historic town
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 672925m, N 712604m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.158934, -6.909568
Approximately 2900m of gas pipeline was laid within Kildare town over fourteen weeks between 30 November 1998 and 19 March 1999. Most of this was within the zone of archaeological potential, although several short stretches of pipeline just outside the zone were also monitored.
Evidence of medieval activity was found at two locations, though on a limited scale. Both of these were in the Market Square area. The trench running from the junction of Bride Street northwards towards the Cathedral contained seven sherds of medieval pottery, along with a cut antler, an iron nail, red brick, several pieces of cremated bone, and unburnt animal bone and teeth. The trench running from the junction of Station Road to Dublin Street contained four sherds of medieval pottery, all from the extreme north-west end of the trench.
The remains of several stone-built culverts and walls were also uncovered along the route. These all appeared to be 19th- and 20th-century in date on the evidence of their construction and the finds found in association with them.
In general the trenches contained modern gravel infill, representing road foundation material, and were regularly cut by modern service pipes and cables. This, and the shallow nature of the trenches (less than 1m deep), meant that the likelihood of hitting archaeological deposits was limited. As a result, no evidence of the medieval town walls, the gatehouses or the earlier monastic enclosures was uncovered.
103 Cherrywood Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
