2000:0307 - KILMAINHAM: Murray's Bar, Bow Lane West, Dublin

The development site lies just north-west of James’s Street, where the Cammock River crosses Bow Lane at the historic Bow Bridge. Bow Bridge and Bow Lane are not marked on John Speed’s map of Dublin in 1610, as they are situated west of the outer gate (James’s Gate) of the city. Warburton, Whitelaw and Walsh mention that in the 17th century the area outside James’s Gate was ‘then an open space, watered by a stream on which were a few mill sites’ (Warburton et al. 1818, 89). The study area is bounded by Kilmainham and the Royal Hospital to the west, the medieval gates of Dublin City to the east, the Liffey to the north, and Mount Brown and the canal to the south. The River Cammock cradles the site on the south and east as it turns north-eastwards under Bow Bridge to meet the River Liffey.

Pre-development test-trenching was undertaken as a result of a planning application for permission to demolish a public house, garage workshop and associated buildings, and to construct a five-storey-over-basement building including public bar, office and residential accommodation.

One feature of archaeological significance was revealed during the testing exercise. Trench 4, located at the eastern part of the site, revealed the partial remains of a wooden barrel containing lime deposits and wall foundations along the southern and eastern portions of the site. The barrel truncated natural and was sealed by a friable, mid-green, silty clay layer. Because of the close proximity of this trench to the Cammock River, excavation at a depth greater than approximately 0.5m broke the water-table, making detailed inspection and recording of this feature impossible. It is suggested, however, based on the evidence revealed through the excavation of all four test-trenches, that this feature is post-medieval in date.

No other features of archaeological significance were noted during the test trenching. There were no portable finds recovered.

In order to avoid, reduce or offset adverse impacts on the archaeological resource, it was recommended that all groundworks associated with the proposed development be subject to an archaeological monitoring condition, carried out under licence to Dúchas The Heritage Service. It was further recommended that the barrel feature be fully excavated prior to construction activities beginning on the site.

It is considered that there would be no visual or noise impact on the archaeological resource from the proposed development.

Excavation of the areas of archaeological significance exposed in the testing was undertaken in conjunction with a programme of monitoring of all groundworks. In the course of the monitoring, a further three barrels were uncovered, which were also excavated.

Excavation revealed that the four wooden barrels had contained organic material. Two had definite evidence of animal remains. The presence of animal bones and lime deposits suggests that they may have been associated with the tanning industry that was centred on the Kilmainham/Mount Brown area from the medieval period to the late 19th century. All four barrels were situated in or above an 18th/19th-century layer, which indicates a late 18th- or 19th-century date.

The foundation walls were located in the eastern area of the site and comprised a pair of rough-mortared stone walls. They would appear to be of 19th-century origin but were incorporated during the building of the 20th-century public house, Murray’s Bar.

Reference
Warburton, J. et al. 1818 History of the city of Dublin. London.

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