2010:292 - Rush Beach, Rush, Dublin

Underwater assessment was undertaken as part of a series of contracts for the landfall component of the east–west interconnector (EWI) project at Rush Beach, Rush, Co. Dublin. Archaeological interpretation of the geophysical data acquired for the project was undertaken by ADCO, along with a visual and metal-detection survey of the foreshore and intertidal zones at Rush Beach. Following this, the sub-tidal component of the cable route (IMO1 to chainage 600m) was subject to a visual inspection, which included the assessment of eighteen geophysical anomalies identified in the previous data interpretation report. In addition, a geotechnical assessment of sediment types and thickness across the site was carried out.
The area under assessment is located approximately 600m north of the harbour at Rush village and is separated from the harbour by a series of rocky shoals. It is proposed to run the cable ashore on to Rush Beach. The archaeological potential of the location is highlighted by a series of monuments located within the vicinity of Rush village; these include: Drumanagh Promontory Fort, located c. 1.6km to the north, and a pair of Martello towers situated at Rush and on Drumanagh headland. In addition, the numbers of reported shipwrecking incidents associated with Rush is regarded as being significant, although no known archaeological remains have been identified within the foreshore, intertidal, or sub-tidal areas associated with the proposed landfall site.
The underwater assessment was comprehensive and extended outside the boundaries identified for the proposed cable route. All geophysical anomalies identified for inspection, where a positive target was encountered, proved to be of modern origin or represented natural seabed features. No material, deposits, or structures of archaeological significance were encountered as part of the underwater assessment. Indeed, the seabed was noted to be largely free from any surface man-made debris; the high-energy environment present along this stretch of coastline will have served to remove much of this material. Bedrock is present along the cable route centreline, located at a varying depth of from 0.5m to 1.9m below the covering seabed silts. Bedrock is also exposed in a number of areas, where it rises above the surrounding seabed silts to a height of 0.2m. In addition, a glacial till is deposited across a 133m section of the cable route centreline. However, the possibility remains that archaeological material may be retained within the shallow deposits of silty-sand that have formed above the rockhead and glacial till.