2012:214 - Áras An Uachtaráin Estate (Vice- Regal Lodge), Phoenix Park Dublin, Dublin

The underground remains of a brick-built icehouse which forms part of a triumvirate of icehouses built in the Phoenix Park lands in the 18^th century was located and exposed. It was shown to exist on an 1876 OS map. The over-ground section and its entrance were comprehensively demolished in the past, to the point that no over-ground physical indication of its location remained. It was a relatively small ice-house and built to a simple classic 18^th-century plan. Its location is close to the lake water source and to a post-medieval tunnel entrance, a tunnel which may have been used to transport ice to the ice-house.

The ice-house remains, and associated tunnel entrance, are post-medieval in date, with the tunnel entrance forming part of a brick-built tunnel system known to extend around the immediate lands of the Áras and possibly beyond. It is known that the tunnel has been breached on occasion during over-ground works over the years. The fact that it is head height and cobbled would suggest access for worker activity. It is quite possible that the tunnel system connected the Vice-Regal Lodge with the Chief Secretary (American Embassy) and Under-Secretary Estates.  (Possible future geophysical or underground survey of the tunnel system could yield further information of its extent, function and possibly identify additional entrance/exit points.)

The post-medieval plate, jar, bottle and clay pipe finds retrieved from the tunnel entrance infill are associated with the kitchen/worker activity of what was then the 18^th-century Vice-Regal Lodge.

The ice-house and the tunnel entrance remain exposed and in situ, forming an interesting and important addition to the post-medieval built heritage and story of the (Áras An Uachtarain) Vice- Regal Estate.

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