County: Dublin Site name: 23 Reilly Avenue, Dolphin's Barn
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DU0180-020 Licence number: 19E0717
Author: Yvonne Whitty
Site type: Urban
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 713874m, N 732882m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.333914, -6.290265
Monitoring took place of a development at 23 Dolphin’s Barn, Dublin 8. Planning was granted by Dublin City Council for the demolition of a single-storey structure to the rear of a 2-storey previously used commercial/residential unit, and proposed construction - refurbishment to comprise of three, three-storey residential units.
The site is partially within the Zone of Archaeological Constraint for DU018-020 (Dublin City) and within the Zone of Archaeological Interest identified in the Dublin City Development 2016-2022.
Once the rubble was removed from the interior of the building all site clearance including the removal of slabs, excavation of trenches to underpin the walls and removal of soil to the level of the raft foundation were monitored.
Cartographic analysis indicates that the site at No. 23 Dolphins Barn was undeveloped in the late 1700s. The first map which illustrates houses on the site is from 1817 by Cadell and Davies. From 1817 the site has been re-developed several times and for the last time in 1890-1910 when a commercial building that is No. 23 was built.
The interior of the building has been infilled with demolition material comprising red brick, glass and occupation debris associated with the 19th-century dwelling houses which occupied the site prior to the building of No. 23 as it stands today.
The limited depth of excavation between 1m for pads and 0.5m for the raft foundation did not uncover natural ground. The results of the desk-based assessment and monitoring have confirmed that the build-up of material on site relates to domestic occupation in the 19th century. Furthermore, there was no trace of disturbed medieval layers or finds in these debris’ layers.
Unit 10, Riverside Business Centre, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow
