County: Dublin Site name: Islandbridge gatelodge, Phoenix Park, Dublin
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DU018–007 Licence number: 07E1172
Author: Antoine Giacometti, Arch-Tech Ltd, 32 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 712427m, N 734428m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.348118, -6.311427
Monitoring was carried out at Islandbridge Gatelodge during redevelopment works of the gatelodge, which is a protected structure, in the vicinity of three recorded monuments, and within the national monument of the Phoenix Park. Much of the small-scale subsurface groundworks for the development were carried out in the absence of archaeological supervision, which was fully in compliance with the (unusually lenient) planning conditions associated the development.
The tiny portion of the groundworks which were monitored, being two small hand-excavated pits excavated to locate a gas main, identified the gas main and revealed nothing of archaeological interest. A masonry drain identified to the north and west of the gatelodge by the construction workers was partially recorded, and comparison with cartographic sources suggests that it represents a partially culverted waterway which meandered through Phoenix Park and possibly flowed into the Liffey, appearing on maps from 1837–44.
