County: Dublin Site name: DUBLIN: Collins Square (Royal Square), Collins Barracks
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 94E0125 ext.
Author: Christine Baker, Arch-Tech Ltd.
Site type: Barracks
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 714205m, N 734451m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.347939, -6.284727
The principle aim of testing was to establish the level of survival of the walls of the Royal Barracks and their exact position. The work was curtailed by logistical difficulties and only five (of twelve) test-trenches were excavated. As expected, the trenches (Nos 2 and 6–9) revealed a very large number of services (including cast-iron drainage pipes and electricity cables) which indicated a high level of disturbance. The remains of a wall were recovered in Trenches 8 and 9. A two-course mortar-bonded wall, it measured 1.07m north–south, 0.74m in width and 0.45m in height, with stones ranging in diameter from 0.27m to a maximum of 0.5m. Set on subsoil, no cut was identifiable owing to the laying of a cast-iron pipe immediately to the east. Although severely truncated by later groundworks, this appears to constitute part of the western range of Royal Square. In the section of Trench 7 the probable floor level of the former stable block was visible. Trench 6 revealed a layer of cobbles which was possibly the original level of the Royal Square. Artefacts were limited to butchered animal bone, glass (Trench 6) and fragments of clay pipe stems (Trenches 6 and 8).
32 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2
