2015:165 - Clogheder and Clonard/Folkstown Great, Balbriggan, Dublin

Monitoring was carried out on behalf of Malincross Ltd in relation to a 250m section of the Boulevard Road, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin. This roadway is part of a larger future planned development (Planning Ref. F07A/1249). The monitoring follows a desk-based assessment carried out in December 2015 which summarised previous archaeological investigations in the area which included archaeological assessment (O’Carroll 2005, 2006), geophysical survey (Nichols 2005, Leigh 2007) and archaeological testing at the site (Elliott 2007). The development site is located approximately 1.5km west of Balbriggan, north County Dublin.

Monitoring commenced on 7 December 2015 and was completed on 7 January 2016. Three archaeological sites were identified: a burnt mound (Site 1 ITM 718595E, 763354N, 34.933m OD), a spread of burnt mound material (Site 2 ITM 718649E, 763334N, 33.850m OD) and a ring-ditch (Site 3 ITM 718596E 763383N, 34.898 OD). Sites 1 and 2 were located west of the road development in a compound area and a stream diversion area and were identified during site preparation works in advance of topsoil stripping for the roadway. The compound area was reduced in size and the stream diversion was moved, allowing Sites 1 and 2 to remain in situ. These sites have been recorded, covered in terram, backfilled and fenced off to protect them from the road construction works. Site 3 lay partially within the roadway and was excavated over eight days from 11–20 January 2016. The northern part of the ring-ditch was under different ownership and archaeological works on that site were being carried out by Steve McGlade of Archaeology Plan. The southern part of the site was in the line of an existing pipeline and had been removed previously.

The ring-ditch had internal and external diameters of 6.4m and 9.88m respectively and measured 1.8m wide and 1.07m deep. No entrance feature was identified within the excavation area. Small quantities of burnt and unburnt bone and charcoal were recovered from the fills of the ring-ditch along with one larger concentration of burnt bone (119g). Six tiny water-rolled pebbles were included with the cremation deposit. The pebbles are natural, and five of them are flint, however they were quite notable within the deposit, with nothing similar being observed in the natural soil around the site. The stones are unburnt and it is possible that they may have been deliberately placed with the remains after cremation when they were being deposited. Specialist analysis and dating will be carried out and results included in a final excavation report.

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