2001:432 - MILL ISLAND, Islandbridge, Dublin

Dúchas were notified that a wattle feature of possible archaeological significance was exposed in the developer’s site section close to the mill-race. The area was inspected by Andrew Halpin, NMI, and subsequently by the writer, who had carried out the initial test excavation on the site (Excavations 2000, No. 303). The wattle feature appears to be the end or eye of a fishtrap of post-medieval date. The section was cut back in part by c. 0.4m to clean and identify the feature, over two days in late March 2001.

The post-and-wattle feature survived between two substantial walls of post-medieval date in a rebuilt section of the mill-race. The fishtrap measures 0.87m in width and stands to a height of 0.78m. It is constructed of interlinked posts and rods, with a simple weave of one under/one over, twisted around the posts at the end of the feature. The ends of the rods, where noted, were pointed. The posts were single, and widely spaced at c. 0.25m apart, but paired to either side of the feature. The floor of the trap has a double line of rod.

The dating of the fishtrap is certain, as it is built up against a wall of probable late 18th-century date, and several sherds of glazed blackware (late 18th-early 19th-century) were recovered from the fill. The northern wall probably dates from the establishment of a printworks on the island in 1786, while the southern wall dates at least from the construction of the main mill buildings and Islandbridge House between 1801 and 1837. The trap may have been for catching eels.

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