County: Dublin Site name: Cappoge, Finglas
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DU014-029 Licence number: 21E0325
Author: Philippa E. Barry
Site type: Multi-period
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 711296m, N 739799m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.396599, -6.326519
The site at Cappaghfinn contains ringfort DU014-029. Previous investigations at the site resulted in the establishment of an exclusion zone of 20m around the circular mound.
Further investigation in 2021 found that the site had been subjected to intensive drainage and ploughing activities, which removed and churned the upper horizon of archaeological layers, forming a clay plough zone which sealed the underlying archaeology. Similar profiles were seen close to the site (08E0140) and further northwest in Fingal (22E0615).
Although significant evidence of metal-working and possible corn-drying was identified, no archaeological features with in-situ burning (e.g. kilns) survived intact. Evidence for prehistoric activity on the site was represented by lithic finds, including a Neolithic plano-convex flint knife. The Bronze Age use of the site at Cappaghfinn was represented by two barbed and tanged arrowheads and an oval saddle quern with rubber stone. The continued use of the site well into the medieval period (5th–16th century AD) was shown by the identification of two large wells (one of which was found to contain a spindle whorl and possible metallurgical crucible), in addition to three semi-intact Dublin/Leinster Ware vessels, and a collection of pottery dating to the 13th to 15th centuries AD.
Post-excavation work is ongoing.
Archaeology Plan, 32 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2
