2014:507 - Ashtown (former Phoenix Park Racecourse), Dublin

Monitoring was carried out in relation to a proposed residential housing development at the site of the former Phoenix Park Racecourse, Castleknock Road, Dublin 15. The site is bounded to the north by the N3 Navan Road, to the south and east by Castleknock Road and to the west by Chesterfield housing development. These works are being carried out for OMS Architects on behalf of Flynn and O’Flaherty Dublin (Planning Ref.FW13A/0052). This development is part of a much larger phased development, much of which has already been constructed and follows on from an EIS for the Phoenix Park Racecourse carried out in 2002 by Eileen Reilly for Margaret Gowen and Co.

Monitoring of topsoil stripping took place intermittently from February 2014 to May 2017, generally using a 13-tonne tracked machine with toothless bucket. There was a high degree of modern disturbance within the development area related to a former garden centre and previous phases of construction in the areas adjacent to the current development area. Based on the levels of disturbance it was deemed that testing would be of limited use in this situation and that monitoring of topsoil removal would be a more practical approach. Remnants of concrete stable floors were uncovered along the western boundary of the site and relate to the previous use of the site as a racecourse. A stone pathway measuring 3m wide was also uncovered close to the western boundary of the site. There were two sections uncovered, the first extended for 17m in an east-west orientation and the second extended for c.40m in a north-south orientation. This feature may have been associated with the gardens of the former Ashfield House which was located a short distance to the west and is marked on the first edition OS map. No further features of interest were identified as a result of the monitoring.

Courtney Deery Heritage Consultancy, Lynwood House, Ballinteer Road, Dublin 16