County: Dublin Site name: Ballintry
Sites and Monuments Record No.: ME051-002 Licence number: 24E0739
Author: Gill McLoughlin
Site type: Ditched enclosure
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 704748m, N 744981m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.444490, -6.423213
Pre-planning archaeological testing was carried out relating to a proposed cable route associated with a permitted solar farm development. The archaeological testing follows a geophysical survey carried out by Terra Dat in 2024 (24R0271) along a proposed cable route between parts of Kilrue Solar Farm. The geophysical survey indicated extensive sub-surface remains associated with sub-surface enclosure ME051-002 and archaeological testing targeted the main anomalies within the proposed cable route to assess their nature and extent. The results of the testing exercise will inform the cable route designs.
The testing took place over two days from 8 July 2024 and confirmed the presence of archaeological features corresponding with the anomalies indicated in the geophysical survey.
The outer enclosure ditch was tested in both trenches T1 and T2 and was at its deepest in T1 where it measured 3.2m wide and 1.15m deep (1.6m below present ground level) and a probable kiln was identified within the annexe in T2. Archaeological features identified in T3 could represent a large pit or pits or a possible ditch and pit. Although no dateable finds were recovered during testing, the morphology of the site as revealed in the geophysical survey suggests that it is most likely to date to the early medieval period (c.400-1100AD). Abundant charcoal, charred cereals and small quantities of animal bone were present in the features identified in Trenches T2 and T3 and are an indication of habitation activities including cereal drying at the site.
c/o Courtney Deery Heritage Consultancy, Lynwood House, Ballinteer Road, Dublin 16
