County: Dublin Site name: FINGLAS–ASHBOURNE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E1353
Author: Hilary Opie, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 713182m, N 739145m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.390325, -6.298401
Monitoring of test-pits was carried out along the route of the proposed N2 Finglas–Ashbourne Road Scheme, in counties Dublin and Meath. The test-pits were on, or in the vicinity of, known or potential archaeological sites, identified by a combination of field assessment, paper survey and geophysical survey. Fourteen test-pits were monitored over four days, 21 and 23 August, 11 September and 3 October 2002. All were excavated by machine using a narrow, toothed bucket and were c. 2.7m long and 0.9m wide.
No finds or features of an archaeological nature were found in thirteen of the test-pits. However, one, TP 421, had very deep topsoil and lower topsoil layers, with undisturbed subsoil being reached at 1–1.2m below the ground surface. This may suggest that this pit was of archaeological significance. It was situated near a large complex of enclosures and ditches, as suggested by the geophysics survey, which may also suggest that it is of archaeological significance. It is possible that this test-pit encountered part of the filled-in remains of a ditch. Although it was not possible to identify it positively as of archaeological importance, this area remains of potential significance, and further investigation is required to establish the exact nature of the activity here.
Brehon House, Kilkenny Road, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny
