2015:318 - DUBLIN: Phoenix Park, Dublin

MOORE GROUP carried out a programme of monitoring at three separate locations, two within the Phoenix Park and one at the junction of White’s Road and College Road, Castleknock, Dublin on behalf of Gas Networks Ireland. The proposed works are near a number of RMP sites including DU018-007001-Deer Park, DU018-00709-Meagalithic structure, DU018-007014-House and DU017-013002 – Redundant record (see below for details). The works thus far have been completed at Ordnance Road/White’s Road (May 2015) and Zoo Road/North Road (Dec 2014). Full time, licensed monitoring took place over two phases between December 2014 and May 2015 within the Phoenix Park, Dublin (DU018-007001).

Location 1 was located along White’s Road/Ordnance Survey road with the majority of works through grassy verges for a total distance of 650m. Location 2 was along Zoo Road and North Road in the vicinity of the Garda Headquarters towards Park Gate, a distance of 430m. In general the trenches measured 0.45m in width and were excavated to a depth of 0.9-1m. The stratigraphy below road base and topsoil was relatively uniform consisting of a compact grey brown clay overlying a sandy clay with gravels and occasional shale beds. Throughout the excavations various services were noted including red brick culverts, French drains backfilled with stone and modern ducts, pipes and cables. The only feature of potential significance was a 3.5m-wide ditch found along a verge near the junction of White’s Road and Ordnance Survey Road. This feature, visible in section, was trowelled back but no finds were recovered. It is likely that this is a 19/20th-century drainage ditch. It is expected the Castleknock section will be completed in the near future and will be presented as an addendum to this report.