2004:0609 - KILLINEY: Killiney Hill Road, Dublin

Monitoring of groundworks was carried out on the site of a Martello tower on Killiney Hill Road, Killiney, Co. Dublin. Two inspections were made on 16 September and 21 October 2004 and further inspections are expected into 2005. Restoration of the Martello tower and associated structures was noted. These works include restoration of the coach house, rebuilding of the Master Gunner's Store for use as a cottage, rebuilding of the top of the battery wall and the exposure of the outer retaining stone wall. In all cases, either the original stone was recovered from the site and used in the rebuilding or, when missing, new granite blocks were used. These have been cut and dressed to blend with the size and shape of the originals. Three bench stones were also found in situ on the site. These include two George III War Office bench stones and one War Department bench stone. Elsewhere on the site several tonnes of rubbish have been removed by mechanical digger. This rubbish probably dates to the 1950s–1970s, when the council used the site as a rubbish dump. Typically it contained crockery, metal, glass, plastic, bottles, etc. With the removal of the rubbish, the original shape and slope of the bank became clearer and is currently being reinstated as such. At no point has any archaeological material been removed. At one point a small patch of clay, representing the original ground surface, was exposed but not encroached upon.

103 Cherrywood Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22