County: Kildare Site name: FIRECASTLE LANE, KILDARE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 22:29 Licence number: 05E0777
Author: Finn Delaney, Dominic Delany & Associates, Unit 3 Howley Court, Oranmore, Co. Galway.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 672925m, N 712604m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.158934, -6.909568
An impact assessment of a proposed development site located on Firecastle Lane, in Kildare Town, Co. Kildare, was undertaken in August 2005. The assessment included the excavation of two trenches across the footprint of the proposed development. The proposed site lies within the zone of archaeological potential established around Kildare in the Urban Archaeology Survey. Kildare is classified as an historic town in the Record of Monuments of County Kildare. While Kildare is chiefly associated with St Brigit’s early 6th-century monastery, the list of stray finds from the area indicates that the environs were also frequented during prehistoric times.
Testing across the site did not reveal anything of archaeological significance. A site inspection and a cartographic study, however, have highlighted the fact that the south-western boundary wall may be associated with the site of the Fire Castle, which formed part of the town defences.
Reference
Bradley, J., Halpin, A. and King, H. 1986 Urban Archaeological Survey of Kildare. Commissioned by the Office of Public Works.
