2021:112 - Grand Parade & Dartmouth Road, Dublin 6, Dublin

Archaeological monitoring of groundworks was carried out at the site of a development located at Grand Parade and Darthmouth Road, Dublin 6. The monitoring was undertaken over two phases May-July 2020 and March-May 2021. The site is within the boundary of archaeological potential surrounding the City of Dublin (DU028-020). The closest recorded monument is DU018-057, the site of a post-medieval house, 300m to the south-east of the development area.

Overall, the site was found to be largely devoid of archaeological features. A build-up of 19th-century infill and clinker material was identified across the site. This deposit varied between 1m and 1.5m in depth. Towards the centre of the site, a stretch of wall comprising rubble coursed calp limestone constructed on a beam of concrete, survived for a length of 4.9m (Plate 1). A brick-lined ope within this wall measured 1m wide by 1.85m high. The wall was 0.5m wide and had been removed by a reinforced concrete pillar on the western side and by ground disturbance on its eastern side. A shorter stretch of wall, perpendicular to the first, extended for 3.6m to the north. This wall was of the same construction as the first and once formed part of the same structure. An ope in this wall was capped with a limestone lintel and measured 0.6m wide and 0.6m high.

A stone-built culvert was found to run north-west from this opening beyond the limit of the site. The culvert had been removed to the south-east of the wall sometime in the 20th century.

Extensive concrete foundations from a former warehouse were encountered along the western side of the site. The bulk excavation covered the majority of the site footprint and proceeded beyond the cultural levels into the underlying boulder clay to a depth of 11.8m O.D. or 3.7-4m below previous ground level.

No features of archaeological significance were identified.

c/o IAC Ltd, Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow