2025:634 - Newcastle North, Dublin

This archaeological impact assessment was undertaken at the former McEvoy’s Public House, Newcastle, South County Dublin.  A previous test excavation (06E0747) of four trenches was undertaken within the subject area in 2006 which uncovered modern (19th-century) walls.

Geophysical survey (23R0491) was undertaken within the subject area in 2024. Current test trenches are targeted on geophysical anomalies. Test excavation took place between 26 and 27 March 2024 under license 24E0345 to Aidan O’Connell transferred from Maeve McCormick.

Fifteen test trenches totalling c. 170 linear meters were excavated across the available portions of the site and targeted on anomalies recorded during previous geophysical surveys. The trenches were assigned numbers 5‑19, following previous test excavations. They were located across four discrete plots. These were as follows:

• The western tarmacked car park situated to the rear of standing buildings (T5‑T10).
• A northern gravelled garden plot to the rear of the standing buildings (T11‑T15).
• A gravelled area at the southern site boundary between the standing buildings and the public footpath (T16).
• A greenfield area at the east of the site and adjacent to RMP DU020-003001 (Motte; T17‑19).

At the western carpark, a layer of compacted redeposited clay was encountered under the tarmac. It contained building rubble and was interpreted as a level foundation for the car park surface. Although building rubble was recorded in this layer, no masonry walls other structures were identified. However, it is noted that a wall was identified in previous test excavations within Trench 4. The geophysical anomalies within this plot would largely appear to correspond to geological signals, although the zone of high amplitude (G10; Trench 10) corresponds to the insertion and backfilling of services trenches at this location.

Within the northern gravelled garden plot, the only recorded features were a modern concrete slab (Trench 12 & 15) and a refuse pit containing modern building rubble including concrete blocks. Elsewhere, geophysical anomalies may largely reflect underlying geology and no buried archaeological sites/features/structures were recorded.

At the southern site boundary (Trench 16) the only features recorded consisted of a water pipe and pipe-work associated with a former petrol station. These would appear to correspond to geophysical anomalies G23 & G24. Elsewhere, the geophysical anomalies appear to correspond with natural geology and no buried archaeological sites/features/structures were recorded.

A wide flat-bottomed ditch was recorded in Trench 17 at the eastern greenfield portion of the site. Fragments of plastic were observed on the upper surface of the ditch and modern tableware pottery was observed throughout the fill, albeit in low quantities. The ditch is interpreted as a modern feature and of no archaeological significance. It may correspond to the north-south-aligned portion of geophysical anomaly R1. Elsewhere in this area, a layer of gravel was recorded at the western end of Trench 17 at an existing field entrance. This corresponds with geophysical anomaly R1 and is non-archaeological. Across the eastern portion of this trench, a layer of redeposited clay was noted on the existing ground surface and reflected in the depth of fill recorded in the trench at this location. It corresponds with the general location of geophysical anomalies R3‑R7 and is non archaeological. The redeposited clay may have been moved from the northern garden plot where a large rubble pit was recorded.