County: Limerick Site name: DALCASSIAN HOUSE, ISLAND ROAD, KING’S ISLAND
Sites and Monuments Record No.: LI005-017 Licence number: 10E0465
Author: Frank Coyne
Site type: Urban post-medieval
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 557679m, N 658027m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.671755, -8.625748
The site was located on King’s Island, within the zone of archaeological potential for the historic town of Limerick (LI005-017) and on the supposed line of the 17th-century fortifications immediately outside the line of the medieval town wall. The site consisted of a two-storey house (built in the 1930s) surrounded by gardens. An impact assessment was undertaken in May 2005, followed by a programme of test-trenching in March 2006, both carried out by Tracy Collins (ÆGIS Archaeology Ltd), (Excavations 2006, no. 1287, 06E0125).
The 2011 excavation was of the pile foundations for a proposed medical centre. After demolition of the 20th-century structure (known as Dalcassian House), the topsoil levels were reduced across the entire site. The pile locations were excavated through the residual topsoil to the natural or uppermost archaeological material. In general the trenches ranged in depth between 0.06m and 0.46m and were found to contain features consistent with the site’s previous use as a large garden/orchard. In addition, the results of the excavation also indicated that the line of the 17th-century fortifications did not pass through the site. Of particular merit was the retrieval of a substantial post-medieval ceramic assemblage. Other finds included roof tiles, brick, a complete utility knife with a bone/antler handle and several bone buttons. These finds were collected from several of the excavated features and were also scattered throughout the topsoil. The pottery appears to have been dumped on the site, and it is possible that these dumps may have been as a result of one of the sieges or the rebuilding/repairing which occurred afterwards, the most obvious being the sieges of the Williamite war and the subsequent redevelopment of the city. Other possibilities exist, however: for instance, St Saviour’s Dominican Priory saw much remodelling in the 17th century, with parts being used as a barracks and tannery in the late 17th century.
No complete or near-complete vessels were recovered. The ceramic assemblage is currently undergoing specialist analysis. After the completion of the excavation phase the stripping of the topsoil overburden was monitored; no further items of archaeological merit were exposed.
ÆGIS Archaeology Ltd, 32 Nicholas Street, King’s Island, Limerick
