County: Dublin Site name: AIRPORT–BALBRIGGAN BYPASS
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0953
Author: Patricia Lynch, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 718847m, N 745771m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.448597, -6.210788
This report comprises the results of the monitoring of topsoil-stripping and of trenches dug before fence construction and drainage on the Northern Motorway/Airport–Balbriggan Bypass, Contract 1, during 2000 and 2001. The part of the route involved in this phase of the motorway was in County Dublin. The townlands affected by the stripping were Barryspark, Cloghran, Commons East, Drinan, Green Fields, Lissenhall Great, Lissenhall Little, Mantua, Marshallstown, Seatown East, Seatown West and Stockhole.
During the monitoring, four archaeological features were uncovered; as a result, three excavations were undertaken.
Site 1, Stockhole Lane, was reported on in Excavations 2000, No. 342, 00E0376.
Site 2, Stockhole Lane, was reported on in Excavations 2000, No. 343, 00E0950.
Site 3, Stockhole Lane, was reported on in Excavations 2000, No. 344, 00E0951.
Site 4, Drinan (NGR 31937.586 245631.433), consisted of several small areas of charcoal-enriched soil and was 30m to the west of a stream. It was securely fenced off, but subsequently the fencing was removed and the site was destroyed by the subcontractors on the drainage scheme. This area has been scheduled by Fingal County Council to be used as a graveyard.
Site 5, Mantua, had been disturbed previously by the construction of Swords Industrial Park. One area of possible archaeological significance was uncovered during topsoil removal. On examination it was found to consist of charcoal-enriched soil and burnt ?animal bone. Rotten grass was identified beneath this layer. The deposit was considered to result from work in the adjoining (not associated) building site.
Editor’s note: Though carried out in 2001, this excavation was not reported on in time for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.
27 Hilltown Way, Swords
