2026:005 - Holy Faith Convent, Kilcoole, Wicklow

Archaeological test excavations were carried out a site located within the old Holy Faith Convent lands, Main Street, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow. The site is situated to the north of Kilcoole and consists of two relatively flat fields with an area of c.5.5acres. The site is bound to the east by the Kilcoole Road (R761) and mature hedgerow to the east and south with the southern boundary being directly north of the original gatehouse of St Patrick’s Convent, which will not be affected by the development. An access road runs perpendicular to the site’s northern boundary.

Twenty-three test trenches were excavated across the site, with the depths of each trench ranging between 0.1m and 0.63m. All trenches were excavated to the natural subsoil, which consisted of a light to mid-brown sandy clay, which was sandier to the east of the site, with occasional stone.

No archaeological deposits or features were identified during the testing, and no topsoil finds were recovered. The site appears to be archaeologically sterile and therefore there will be no archaeological impact by the development.