2000:0213 - BROWNSBARN–KILSHANE BORD GÁIS ÉIREANN PIPELINE, Dublin

Monitoring of topsoil construction for the southern section of the new North-Eastern Pipeline 3 was carried out in mid-2000. The Bord Gáis Éireann pipeline will extend south from Ballough to Brownsbarn, Co. Dublin, reusing sections of the previously excavated NEP 1 and NEP 2 (1983 and 1988, see Excavations 1988, 43, note by Margaret Gowen). The first stage of the Ballough to Brownsbarn pipeline involved topsoil-stripping from Ballough to Kilshane. This was monitored by Malachy Conway in 1999 (Excavations 1999, 50–1, 99E0395). The construction of the southern section entailed the monitoring of topsoil-stripping from Kilshane to Brownsbarn.

From the southernmost portion of the pipeline at Brownsbarn to the Naas Road (N7) the pipeline ran through relatively low-lying land that has been intensively farmed. A series of plough-truncated cut features was detected in this area. A small, undated pit in Cheeverstown townland contained occasional fragments of animal bone. To the north of this, the possible remains of a fulacht fiadh were revealed in Kingswood townland. This consisted of a pit filled with a mix of charcoal-blackened clay and silt with heat-shattered stone. A large field boundary ditch running on a south-west/north-east axis was found closeby. A possible flint thumbnail scraper was found in ploughsoil at this point.

To the north of the Naas Road in Baldonnell Lower townland a cluster of small, shallow, burnt spreads were observed. These remained undated. Further north in Ballyowen townland an elaborate French drain was revealed. This was composed of mortared side-walls and large lintel stones. To the north of the N4 Galway road in Fonthill townland, a burnt spread was detected on the southern bank of the Liffey. This was resolved by John Ó Néill under licence 00E0447 (see Excavations 2000, No. 298).

On the north bank of the Liffey, in Astagob townland, a small modern layer of burnt material was revealed. In December 2000, owing to difficulties in tunnelling under the Liffey at this point, the contractors sought to construct an interconnector pipe between the completed northern section of the pipeline and the previously constructed NEP 2 pipeline some 400m to the east. This entailed excavation along the Strawberry Beds road parallel to the Liffey. A stretch of some 100m was excavated through a ploughed field. A single masonry wall on a north–south axis was revealed. This is likely to be associated with an industrial complex referred to as the ‘New Holland Fruit and Starch Works’, depicted on the 1843 1:10,560 Ordnance Survey map (Sheet 17). In the northern part of Astagob townland a small subcircular pit was excavated. This had a charcoal-rich fill.

Further north, in Ballycoolen townland, a small pit containing charcoal and vitreous slag-like material was found. In the townland of Mitchelstown two modern metalled surfaces were revealed. A shallow charcoal-rich pit was found to the north of this.

2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin