County: Dublin Site name: 46 Ballymun Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 9
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 24E0446
Author: Ida La Fratta and Paul Duffy
Site type: Infilled channel of the Naidin
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 715337m, N 737841m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.378143, -6.266503
The first phase of Archaeological testing took place in April 2024 at 46 Ballymun Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, County Dublin. Trench locations were constrained by the presence of mature trees, a standing house of early 20th-century date, outbuildings and a significant break of slope from north to south, midway along the site. The topsoil across the site comprised a mid-brown clayey silt measuring between 0.4m and 0.45m in depth. In the southern part of the site, a blackish-brown stoney sandy clay with no notable inclusions, measuring c. 0.3m, underlay the topsoil. Beneath this layer, a greyish-brown sandy clay was uncovered measuring c. 0.27m. The natural subsoil comprised a mottled orangish-brown silty clay.
One archaeological area was identified in the south portion of the development area. This comprises a wide linear feature which represents an infilled tributary of the River Tolka (named Naidin) that is visible on the historic mapping prior to the 1760s, after which it appears to have been diverted and infilled. Significant water ingress into the opened slots within this feature prevented full excavation to the base.
An additional phase of archaeological testing took place in June 2024 with the objective of generating a full section through the watercourse. During this phase of testing was recorded a basal slump layer of the river and primary infill deposits at its base. Though no dateable material was retrieved from these layers, the primary infill was sampled for further analysis. The upper infill of the watercourse was also confirmed to be 19th century in date, yielding moulded glass bottles, ceramics, blackware, brown-glazed earthenware and redbrick fragments (all of which were consistent with material found in the layers of refuse associated with Glenavon House). Following the infilling of the channel, it appears that a break of slope remained in the landscape. Domestic waste and ash-pit material (including a dump of roof slate) was deposited to infill this break of slope throughout the early 20th century.
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