County: Dublin Site name: Cork Street/ Brickfield Lane, Dublin
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DU018-020 Licence number: 19E0093
Author: Paul Duffy, IAC Ltd
Site type: Post-medieval pit, drain, tanning pit
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 714292m, N 733300m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.337579, -6.283841
Monitoring was carried out of groundworks associated with the mixed-use development at the Donnelly Centre, Cork Street, Dublin 8. Monitoring was conducted intermittently between 7 December 2018 and 23 April 2019, as a condition of planning from Dublin City Council (Planning Ref.: APB 300184-17). It follows a desktop assessment carried out by IAC (Waters 2018).
The excavation of geotechnical trial pits and test trenches was subject to monitoring as was ground reduction works across the site for the purposes of laying a piling mat. Following the piling, further monitoring of excavations associated with the installation of pile caps and ground beams was necessary in areas where the natural subsoil had not been exposed during the ground reduction stage.
The development area comprised a three-storey building of modern industrial character that was largely reconstructed between 1959 and 1961. This building, of reinforced concrete frame construction and fronting both Cork Street and Brickfield Lane, was demolished in its entirety at the initial stage of the development. Following the clearance of this demolition rubble, the ground level was reduced across the site.
Monitoring of groundworks has confirmed the conclusions of the desktop assessment. The site has seen considerable development and reconstruction in the 20th century, which has had a significant impact on any potential archaeological remains on the site. The sub-surface remains of a post-medieval pit/lowered floor as well as a 19th-century linear drain/property boundary were excavated where the development interested with them. Both features were largely preserved in-situ beneath the formation level. A probable tanning pit of 18th-century date was identified in TP106. This feature was also preserved in situ beneath the formation level of the site.
No other features or deposits of archaeological significance were identified during monitoring of groundworks on site.
Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
