2000:0798 - 8 AND 9 THE DIAMOND, Monaghan, Monaghan

Pre-development test-trenching was undertaken as a result of a planning application for permission to demolish and change the use of existing buildings and to reconstruct these areas with new buildings consisting of offices and shopping units. Fieldwork was carried out on 11 April 2000 and involved the mechanical excavation of four trenches. The site is located at the junction of The Diamond and Dublin Street in the heart of Monaghan. A number of the buildings in the area are listed, and, while they vary in individual architectural quality, their overall group character is pleasant.

As is noted in the Urban Archaeology Survey of County Monaghan (12), towns were a relatively late development in the county. There was no Viking settlement, and the Anglo-Normans made only a partially successful settlement attempt. It was not until the Plantation period that towns were built in Monaghan, and then it was as part of a policy of colonisation. The lack of towns in the county (Monaghan being the only town of consequence to be established) may partially be due to the fact that Monaghan was the only Ulster county that was not systematically planted but rather left to private individuals to attempt small-scale colonisations.

Monaghan is regarded as a fine example of an average-sized 17th-century Plantation town, and much of the street pattern of the 17th-century town appears to survive. While it is difficult to reconcile the modern street pattern with that of the oldest map of the town, Dublin Street and The Diamond appear to be of 17th-century origin.

It is important to remember, however, that the Plantation town was developed on an already-occupied site, and it is likely that there was some form of Gaelic settlement in its vicinity.

No pre-1700 house remains have been recovered from within the town, but it is likely that foundations survive below present-day ground level. ‘In particular one would expect that the foundations of the large fortified house, or castle, which Sir Edward Blayney built for himself, must survive in the area just to the south of the Diamond’ (Urban Archaeology Survey, 31).

The proposed development site is within the zone of archaeological potential of Monaghan town. Within this zone, the main disturbance to archaeological material has been concentrated along the street frontage as a result of ongoing house rebuilding. It is noted in the Urban Archaeology Survey (32), however, that there is the strong likelihood of recovering house foundations, refuse pits, industrial areas and workshops of 17th-century date.

Test-trenching failed to reveal either archaeological features or finds earlier than possibly 19th-century in date. It is noted that the area in question is one where pre-1700 house foundations may exist. In addition to this, the presence of a large well within the boundary of the proposed development area was referred to by local residents during the test-trenching programme, and there is the possibility that subsoil archaeological remains associated with this feature may exist. The presence of three walls recorded during the test-trenching exercise is also evidence for structural remains surviving below ground, albeit late in date.

In order to avoid, reduce or offset adverse effects 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.

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

8 Dungar Terrace, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin