County: Dublin Site name: M2 Business Park, Bay, Dublin 15
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 22E0168
Author: David Bayley
Site type: Prehistoric
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 709000m, N 742400m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.420442, -6.360129
Archaeological excavation was undertaken at M2 Business Park, Bay, Co. Dublin.
Two phases of archaeological test trenching, carried out in 2015 (Clancy, Licence 15E0267) and 2021 (Hickey et al., Licence 21E0242) identified four areas of archaeological potential (Archaeological Areas 1–4). These consisted of: a possible cremation pit (AA1), a site containing two burnt spreads (AA2), an enclosure site (AA3), and a pit site (AA4). The 2021 testing report recommended that all four identified areas be subject to full archaeological excavation and preservation by record, due to the extent of construction works onsite making in situ preservation impossible.
The excavation of Archaeological Area 1 revealed a single pit that was filled with waste material from a fire and included a small amount of burnt bone. Archaeological Area 2 contained two pits that were filled by material similar to that found in burnt spreads/mounds.
Archaeological Area 3 contained a north-east/south-west oriented linear ditch, possibly part of a larger field system. Any finds recovered from its fills indicated a prehistoric date. It was stratigraphically earlier than a large "D-shaped" enclosure that enclosed an area measuring 40m x 32m. The straight part of the enclosure ditch mirrored the line of the earlier linear ditch. As with the linear ditch, most of the finds recovered from the enclosure ditch appear to be prehistoric in date. A number of pits, post-holes and slot trenches associated with the enclosure didn’t contain any immediately diagnostic material.
Archaeological Area 4 contained three pits, one of which was quite large and showed evidence of multiple phases of usage. Two of these phases showed evidence of in-situ burning in the pit, which could indicate it functioned as a kiln. As with the other areas, any finds recovered indicated a prehistoric date for this activity.
Post-excavation works are currently ongoing and will inform the final site interpretation.
c/o IAC Archaeology, Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
