2019:267 - CHERRYWOOD: Tully Park, Laughanstown, Dublin

The site, a green-field area bounded by newly-constructed infrastructure and covered with grass and scrub, falls gently to the south-west with no obvious surface features. Geophysical Survey was undertaken across the Cherrywood SDZ lands in 2015 (Nicholls 2015; Licence 15R0070) and within the subject site a potential pit (18) and associated linear/curvilinear responses were recorded as potential archaeological features, although a natural soil/geological, modern ferrous or cultivation origin for these could not be dismissed.

Trenches were positioned in order to test geophysical anomalies and to test the archaeological potential in areas of proposed ground disturbance. Nine test trenches were excavated with the aid of a 14-tonne mechanical excavator equipped with a toothless grading bucket. Topsoil was c. 0.4–0.5m deep and overlay buff brown stony clay.

A single archaeological feature was recorded. This comprised a ringditch (F1; c. 7m wide) that extended beyond the south-western site boundary. It was filled with a sterile mid brownish-yellow clay, c. 0.15m deep. This may be the remains of a late prehistoric burial barrow. This feature was initially recorded in the course of geophysical survey. It provides a funerary counterpoint to fulachta fiadh recorded in the surrounding area.

No archaeological material was recorded at the remaining trenches, including locations of additional geophysical anomalies, which are interpreted as geological variations.