2003:477 - COURTLOUGH, Dublin

Monitoring was carried out in July 2003 on a portion of a large-scale development at Courtlough, near Balbriggan, Co. Dublin. The development will be constructed in three phases (A–C) in an area that was previously in mixed agricultural production. Monitoring under this licence was confined to Area B, which covered 10.12ha. This area is bounded by the N1 to the east and the M1 to the west, with agricultural land to the north and south (Area C). The aspects of the development monitored were the access road, which was to run parallel to the N1, and two sewerage lines. One of the sewerage lines ran north–south, adjacent to the M1, close to the western limit of the site. The second ran east–west, close to the northern limit of the development. Other areas of topsoil-stripping were monitored in the southern portion of the development area.

One archaeological site (see No. 478, Excavations 2003) was discovered during the monitoring. It was a series of pits and post-holes, only partially exposed within the access road footprint, with 0.19–0.25m of fine-grained, loamy, brown topsoil removed from above the site. This site was situated on the northern side of a relatively low glacial ridge, formed of well-drained, sandy boulder clay, which extended westwards into the development area. The area surrounding this ridge was a low-lying wetland valley, draining northwards towards Balbriggan, which had been drained for agricultural production. Stratigraphically this area was formed of loose shale bedrock with grey clay subsoil. Above this were intermittent shallow deposits of white lake marl, which were particularly extensive on the northern side of the glacial ridge, overlain by peaty soils. No further archaeological material was uncovered during the monitoring of any other component of this project.

Corporate House, Ballybrit Business Park, Galway