2020:101 - Ballalease South and Corballis, Donabate East, Dublin

Archaeological testing was undertaken at Donabate East, Co. Dublin as part of a predevelopment assessment. It follows a previous desktop assessment report (Waters 2019) and geophysical survey carried out across portions of the proposed development in 2005 as part of Donabate Local Area Plan (Licence 05R124). The proposed development area comprises six fields, divided by the Donabate Distributor Road, within the townlands of Ballalease South and Corballis.

There is one recorded monument within the western half of the development, a burnt mound (DU012-087), with a further two monuments, a ring ditch (DU012-097) and a burnt mound (DU012-086), are located along the route of the Donabate Distributor Road. These were discovered during previous archaeological work within the site, with the ring-ditch (the very eastern extent of which extended into the proposed development area) and burnt mound being excavated prior to the construction.

Seven discrete areas of archaeology were identified during the testing:
- Archaeological Area 1: Rectangular enclosure and associated features
- Archaeological Area 2: Pit associated with burnt mound activity
- Archaeological Area 3: Pits and floor surface with associated post-holes
- Archaeological Area 4: Pit and slot trench
- Archaeological Area 5: Pit
- Archaeological Area 6: Ditch
- Archaeological Area 7: Pits

A burnt mound (DU012-087) identified during a previous program of testing under licence 06E0027 (Bennett 2006:562, Baker 2009) is also located within the site boundary and is referred to as Archaeological Area 8.

Reference:
Baker, C. 2009 '562. Ballymastone and Corballis' in Bennett, I. Excavations 2006, Wordwell Limited, Dublin, p. 122.

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