County: Dublin Site name: DUBLIN: O’Connell Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E1825
Author: Franc Myles, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Structure
Period/Dating: Post Medieval (AD 1600-AD 1750)
ITM: E 715885m, N 734504m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.348050, -6.259479
As part of the Luas development, an ESB substation is being constructed in the central median of O’Connell Street between the statues of Daniel O’Connell and William Smith O’Brien. The site is just to the south of SMR 6:48, which is designated as a road.
The initial ground reduction was monitored under the earlier licence, 01E0733 (Excavations 2001, No. 359), and at c. 1.5m below the surface at the southern end of the trench the remains of masonry and brick walls were observed. At this stage all work on-site was halted, and Dúchas and the National Museum of Ireland were informed of the discovery.
O’Connell Street and the North Ward in which it is situated are relatively late in date, having been reclaimed from the tidal flats from the mid-17th century onwards. Most of the archaeological investigations in the area have produced post-medieval finds and features, including four houses that were truncated by the foundations of Nelson’s Pillar (Excavations 2001, No. 397, 01E0871). The structures uncovered at the substation location appear to be those depicted on John Rocque’s map of 1756. They consist of a brick outhouse attached to a wall of cobblestone construction, the latter possibly dating to the late 17th century. The structures were sealed by the demolition rubble created by the Wide Streets Commissioners in the 1790s, when the present width of O’Connell Street was formalised.
The substation is 6m wide and was originally designed to be 31.8m long. After discussion on-site with the City Archaeologist and Dúchas, the Railway Procurement Agency redesigned the layout to avoid the removal of the structures.
The structures have been recorded and will be protected with timber sheeting before piling recommences along the revised line. It is possible that further structures and deposits will be found within the substation footprint in the area north of the structures. It is proposed to continue monitoring the mechanical removal of the demolition rubble to the north of the structures to the level of archaeological deposits. Evidence from engineering test-trenching and cores suggests that the boulder clay lies at c. 3.5m below present ground level and that this material is sealed by river silts.
2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin
