2007:459 - Donabate, Dublin

Pre-development testing was carried out in advance of the Portrane–Donabate broadband project in March 2007. The excavation phase of the project involved the opening of a series of trenches throughout the town centre and its hinterland. All of the trenches were located along roads, either in the carriageway proper or the adjoining verge or footpath. There were no river crossings other than at existing bridges. The trenches were 0.6m wide and excavated to a standard depth of 0.9m in carriageways and 0.6m in verges/footpaths. Junction boxes (1.25m2) were excavated where two or more trenches intersected, and at regular intervals along long straight sections. All works within the areas of constraint around recorded monuments were monitored on a full-time basis. The remainder of the works were subject to intermittent monitoring.
Testing was carried out in the vicinity of an ecclesiastical site at Donabate. The monument consists of a mid-18th-century Anglican church built on the site of a medieval church and incorporating a medieval doorway. There is a medieval tower attached to the east end of the church. Three trenches were opened along a section of road some 50m to the north of the church. A rough, cobbled surface was uncovered in one of the trenches. Upon removal, it was found to overlay an old box drain built of flat and upright slabs. No archaeological features, finds or deposits were discovered during testing or subsequent monitoring.