County: Dublin Site name: M2 Business Park, Bay, Dublin 15
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 21E0242
Author: Steve Hickey, Killian Foley and Niall O'Hora
Site type: Early medieval enclosure
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 709000m, N 742400m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.420442, -6.360129
Archaeological test excavations were carried out in advance of a proposed development at the M2 Business Park, Bay, Dublin 15, Co. Dublin. A total of 46 test trenches were excavated measuring 1,590m linear metres. The site lies to the west of the Northwest Business Park, due north of the Ballycoolin IDA Business Park and to the east-north-east of the Bristol Myers Squibb facility. The development lands occupy an area of 4.5ha and the proposed development is in pre-planning stages.
The archaeological works were conducted between 15 June and 18 June 2021 by a small team of archaeologists under the direction of Niall O’Hora. These test excavations follow on from a geophysical survey carried out by Joanna Leigh (15R0030, Leigh) in April 2015, and subsequent targeted archaeological test-trenching (15E0267, Clancy) in June 2019. The geophysical survey covered 55% of the proposed development site. These archaeological test trenching works identified an oval ditched enclosure in the south-west of the site, measuring 41m by 32m and containing a number of internal pits. Animal bone, burnt bone and charcoal were recovered from the ditch fills and a nearby isolated large burnt pit was also discovered c.50m south-east of the enclosure.
The most recent phase of archaeological works and the subject of this summary, consisted of additional test-trenching which was conducted to shed further light on the buried archaeological environment, and to inform any further archaeological mitigatory works that may be required prior to development works commencing.
Test-trenching across the site revealed four areas of archaeological interest (AA1-4) that warranted further archaeological investigation.
AA1: Cremation pit.
Testing in T8 in the east of the site revealed AA1, a possible cremation pit C.6. It is located 3m south of the junction of T8 and T10. Oval in plan with an east–west orientation, the dimensions are 0.8m in length and 0.75m in width. Within the fill C.7 there appears to be a circular band of oxidised clay, burnt bone and large pieces of charcoal.
AA2: Two adjacent burnt spreads
Testing in T11 revealed two burnt spreads C.5 and C.8 c.1.15m apart. C.5 is a small area of burnt material. It measures 1m in length and 0.9m in width in a north–south orientation. Charcoal and burnt stone are present within the fill. To the immediate north-east is C.8 another small area of burning found in T11. This feature measures 0.9m in length and 0.45m in width and is in a north–south orientation. Charcoal and burnt stone are also present in the fill.
AA3: Enclosure and former field boundary
AA3 features include an enclosure incorporating three distinct ditches: a large linear former field boundary ditch C.17 and two curvilinear ditches C.9, and C.11 which combine to make a complete subcircular feature. The former field boundary would appear to be the earliest of the three ditches, as the other two features appear attached to it.
The eastern curvilinear ditch of the enclosure (C.9) was investigated with a slot section and measured 1m in width and 0.3m depth. Geophysical survey results indicate that C.9 has a total length of 38.5m. The primary fill C.10 appears to contain a large amount of bone and burnt bone.
The western curvilinear ditch of the enclosure C.11 was investigated with two slot sections and measured 1.6–2.15m in width and 0.75–1m depth, substantially deeper that the 0.3m depth of C.9. Geophysical survey results indicate that C.11 has a total length of 40m. At least eight fills were apparent in C.11. The upper fill C.16 is charcoal-rich while a number of the lower fills contain bone.
The former field boundary C.17 is a large linear feature running north-east/south-west creating the northern and eastern sides of the enclosure. An investigative slot section was excavated in trenches T34 and T44 to establish a width of 2.7–3.2m with a depth of 1.1m. Geophysical survey results indicate that C.17 has a total length of 75m. At least three fills are apparent in this linear feature. A small amount of animal bone was found in the upper fill C.18.
AA4: Large pit
AA4 comprises a large pit C.25 measuring 2.9m east–west by 2m+ by 0.75m deep and contained three fills, the upper two of which contained charcoal and patches of baked clay.
References
Clancy, P. and McLoughlin, G. 2015. Goddamendy and Bay Lands, Dublin 15. Archaeological Impact Assessment. Unpublished report prepared by Courtney Deery Heritage Consultancy.
Leigh, J.M. 2015. Geophysical Survey Report. Goddamendy, Co. Dublin (15R0030). Unpublished report prepared by J.M. Leigh Surveys.
Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS), Fahy’s Road, Kilrush, Co. Clare