County: Dublin Site name: THOMONDTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0953
Author: Patricia Lynch, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 719173m, N 752354m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.507657, -6.203381
Archaeological investigations were carried out at Thomondtown Co. Dublin, prior to the construction of the Northern Motorway/Airport–Balbriggan bypass. The site, initially identified in the EIS as Site 11 (Keeley 1994), was described as a raised linear structure, which was located during a field inspection of the route. This assessment report and later borehole monitoring by Hilary Opie recommended that archaeological investigations should be conducted to ascertain the nature and extent of the potential site (Keeley 1998). The site is to be directly affected by the motorway construction.
When originally inspected the ground was under grass, but at the time of the investigation was under a potato crop, and as a result it was difficult to identify which of the undulations in the field referred to the ‘raised linear structure’ identified during the EIS. The location of the investigated site was ascertained by identifying the highest and most curved ridge in the affected area. The trenches were located on the top and the southern side of the possible feature. During the investigations, three trenches, 8m x 2m, were opened. Trench 1 was on the southern edge of the ridge; Trench 2 was on the top of the hill; and Trench 3 was also on the top of the ridge.
A barbed and tanged chert arrowhead was recovered in the topsoil, on the baulk of Trench 2. An arrowhead and blade, also of chert, were recovered during field-walking.
No features of archaeological significance were identified.
References
Keeley, V.J. 1994 Archaeological report on the line of the proposed Northern Route Phase 2. Unpublished.
Keeley, V.J. 1998 Archaeological bore hole monitoring: Northern Motorway Airport to Balbriggan By-Pass, Co. Fingal. Unpublished.
112 Cianlea, Swords and Brehon House, Kilkenny Road, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny
