2020:724 - Baldonnell Ringfort, Dublin

Prehistoric activity at the site included an occupation area where flint knapping took place, with over 200 pieces of struck flint and chert recovered. Forty stake-holes were associated with this occupation area, which was then sealed by a burnt spread. A second burnt spread with associated troughs, pits, stake-holes and a post-hole was identified in the east and southeast of the site. Two possible prehistoric ditches were recorded: one towards the south of the site and the other in the southwest of the site. Both of these ditches were truncated by later activity. The prehistoric activity was sealed with a deposit of grey silty clay that appears to have been the result of flooding.

This silty clay was then cut through by an early medieval enclosure ditch (Enclosure 1). This ditch enclosed an area measuring c. 38m x 36m. Three radial ditches extended in a south-western direction from the southern side of the enclosure; these most likely represented part of a field system. In the interior of the enclosure there were several possible structural slot-trenches, pits, post- and stake-holes and one grave cut with human remains. The ditches and the features were all infilled with grey silty clays that appear to be primarily a result of standing water.

Immediately to the west of the main enclosure was a second, smaller enclosure which measured c. 17.9m x 17.1m. Internal features comprised four possible structural features, two pits and a stake-hole.

In summary, the activity at this site in Baldonnell comprises prehistoric activity in the form of burnt spreads and curvilinear ditches that were sealed by silt deposited during a probable flood event. These date to before 1200 cal BC. A second phase of activity on the site took the form of early medieval enclosure (Enclosure 1) and a secondary enclosure (Enclosure 2), both of which had a primarily domestic function, from AD 250 onwards.