2005:397 - CARRICKMINES GREAT, Dublin

A test excavation was carried on 1 and 2 June 2005 at a c. 1.42ha site, bounded on the north by the Ballyogan Road, on the south by the Park development and on the east and west by private lands. Five test-trenches were excavated at the site. No archaeological features or deposits were identified.
The Pale boundary terminates directly west of the site; the site of Carrickmines Castle is c. 400m directly east. It is possible that the Pale boundary would originally have continued west to intersect with the castle defence, potentially intersecting the location of the development site. Investigations carried out by John Ó Néill in the field immediately to the west did not identify any trace of an eastern continuation of the Pale boundary (Excavations 2002, No. 602, 02E0535), nor did any of the preceding investigations carried out by Niall Brady and Martin Reid associated with the insertion of the sewerage main (Excavations 1998, Nos 126 and 204, 98E0119). Investigations by the writer across a small section of the Pale boundary to the west at Kilgobbin (SMR 26:87) indicated that the boundary was a natural scarp (Excavations 2000, No. 306, 00E0247 and 00E0248). There was no indication of any archaeological features associated with it. Though this investigation was very limited in scope, it may be significant in light of the natural topography in the south of the site. It is possible that the scarp at the south of the site in conjunction with the watercourse created a natural defensive feature which substituted for the construction of formal Pale defences in this area.