Dublin
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We carried out excavations at Rathfarnham Castle, a fortified house constructed in 1583 by Archbishop Adam Loftus, in 2014. An astonishing collection of 17,500 artefacts dating to the very end of the 17th century was recovered. We also carried out archaeological work in 2016 and 2017, with additional findings.
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A fascinating multi-period site was excavated at Brighton Road in Foxrock, Dublin 18. A natural spring provided the setting for Middle and Late Bronze Age (1400 BC to 900 BC) activity in the form of wells and fulachtai fiadh. In the mid-7th century AD a large non-domestic rectangular structure was erected on the fulacht fiadh mound. It is unique in the Irish archaeological record and may have been an early Christian shrine or baptistery, dedicated perhaps to a Munster saint such as Cian. In the mid-9th century the structure was intentionally dismantled and burnt down, which may be linked to the expansion of the ecclesiastical site at Tully.
The final report is available here.
The Brighton Road excavation report appendices are available here.
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The report presents the results of archaeological monitoring which took place at the Rotunda Hospital from February 2019 to March 2020. The report can be downloaded here.
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The excavation at Clonard on the outskirts of Balbriggan, Co. Dublin uncovered an intriguing prehistoric landscape possibly informed and influenced by the wetlands located on the site and by an exceptionally early Mesolithic pathway that survived as a route through this landscape for millennia. Ceremonial and burial monuments from throughout the prehistoric period were uncovered between the pathway and the wetlands along with features associated with the exploitation of the natural resources of this environment. A pollen core of organic material from one of the wetland pools revealed a snapshot of the local environment throughout the Neolithic period.
The final report is available here.
Volume 2 includes the specialist reports, here.
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The report presents the results of an archaeological assessment of a former military stores site on Infirmary Road. The report can be downloaded here.
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Archaeological works along James’ Street and Thomas Street to upgrade the streetscape as part of the QBC scheme uncovered the medieval roadway and significant archaeological features around St. James’ Gate, including the remains of the late medieval gate, a possible early 12th century occupation layer outside St. James’ Church, the 17th century city defences, artefacts from a possible tilery off Crocker’s Lane, and human remains near St. Catherine’s Church.
The preliminary findings are presented in this report.
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Final report on this fascinating archaeological site at Kilgobbin, Stepaside, excavated by Steve McGlade and team from 2014-2015. The report describes a complex prehistoric landscape of wells, fields and burial, and the varied way the dead were treated.
The final report is available here.
The appendices to the final report is available here.
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Archaeological monitoring at Clonsilla in 2019 exposed the remains of a medieval field system and a very unusual feature: rows of pits in one of the medieval fields. Each pit was identical (1.60m by 0.50m and 0.35m deep) and arranged in rows 6m apart, and the pits in each row were also spaced 6m apart, and the pits extended over an area measuring at least 80m by 50m. The pits contained few artefacts other than small sherds of medieval pottery. This report defines the finding as a pitfield, and compares it to other pitfields in Roscommon. Various possible functions for the pitfield are put forward, including that they were excavated for military or agricultural reasons.
The preliminary report is available here.
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A programme of archaeological monitoring and excavation was carried out on the site of a proposed school in Mooretown, Swords, Co. Dublin from April to June 2019. The most significant archaeological feature encountered was a Late Neolithic pit containing the remains
of a Grooved Ware vessel.To read the full report you can download it here.
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Archaeological excavations at Newcastle Lyons Village identified medieval plot boundaries and corn-drying kilns. The preliminary excavation report can be downloaded here.
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Archaeological surveying and test trenching was carried out at the Magazine Fort, Phoenix Park, Dublin in 2015, in advance of works by the OPW for public access during the 1916-2016 centenary. Archaeological investigations revealed multiple phases of construction and repair on the fort ramparts dating from between its construction in c. 1736, and its abandonment in the mid-20th century. A series of reports ranging from 2015-2016 are available below.
The 2015 archaeological assessment report is available here.
The survey drawings from the assessment can be downloaded here.
The 2016 archaeological excavation report can be downloaded here.
Testing in the formal garden of the site was conducted in 2019. The report is available here..
An examination of the loose stone within the fort was conducted. The results of that examination are presented here.
An archaeological assessment of the surfaces at the magazine fort was conducted and is reported here.
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The report presents the results of an archaeological assessment of a Napoleonic military fort for Dublin City Council. Download the full report here.
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Excavations at a medieval castle and post-medieval demesne house during South Dublin County Council restoration works. The report details ten years of excavations. Download the full report (text) here.
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Excavation of a post-medieval and industrial-era urban site in Dublin. Article due for publication in Archaeology of the Liberties (Ed. Myles, F.) 2014.
You can download the published article here.
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Archaeology Plan have been carrying out excavations near Shankill, Co. Dublin since 2020 in advance of a large-scale residential development. The excavations to date have uncovered an intriguing prehistoric landscape positioned in the narrow coastal plain north of Bray.
While some Early Neolithic activity was noted on the site the earliest substantial archaeology was an arc of Late Neolithic post-pits, which contained structured deposits of broken Grooved Ware ceramics, worked flint and a large quantity of flint debitage.
A number of possible structures and occupation layers were identified nearby that were associated with a large quantity of Beaker ceramics suggesting a Chalcolithic or Early Bronze Age settlement was present in the lower-lying western portion of the site. An Early Bronze Age cremation urn and associated food vessel, both heavily decorated, were excavated on the ridge of slightly higher ground to the east of the settlement. A number of other pits containing small quantities of Beaker ceramics were identified in the vicinity of the urns indicating activity contemporaneous to the settlement to the west was taking place here also.
A large settlement enclosure, possibly dating to the Late Bronze Age based on the ceramic assemblage associated with it, was excavated in the north of the site. While the interior of the enclosure was scarped and little survived, quantities of ceramic, flint, ground stone tools, animal bone and charcoal were present within the ditch defining the enclosure.
To the south of this a probable Iron Age settlement was uncovered associated with two structures and two ring-ditches. A late prehistoric field system also appears to have been associated with the settlement. A number of glass beads and purple glass bangle fragments were retrieved from one of the ring-ditches along with a cache of sling-stones, suggesting the settlement had contacts with Iron Age Britain to the east. Sixteen metalworking furnaces have been excavated on the site to date, which may also be related to this phase of activity on the site. Two cereal drying kilns were also uncovered in the immediate vicinity of the settlement and are likely to be contemporary.
A series of metalled surfaces were identified across the site, mainly on the higher ground to the east. Some of these appear to be associated with the late prehistoric settlement while others date to the early medieval period. Twenty-one cereal drying kilns have also been excavated, and while some may be associated with the late prehistoric settlement on the site, a number of complexes of intercutting kilns were identified post-dating the late prehistoric field system, which are likely to be early medieval in date. One of the kilns dated to the 12th-14 century based on associated ceramics. A large double-ditched enclosure, possibly of early medieval date, was identified on the site during previous testing and geophysics and was preserved in situ within the development.
Post-excavation analyses are underway and a suite of radiocarbon dates are being obtained for the site. Monitoring is to continue on the site next year.Thanks to Fergal Flannery for the aerial imagery.
Download here:
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The report presents the results of proposed works to convert St Patrick’s Tower into a temporary exhibition space. The report can be downloaded here.
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The results of a desktop assessment and programme of monitoring are presented within a report conducted by Archaeology Plan in 2021. You can download the report here.
Leinster
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The archaeological excavation of an early medieval settlement site evolving over a number of phases was uncovered at Alexander Reid, Navan, Co. Meath. A series of eleven kilns were uncovered associated with the various phases of the ringfort along with four structures.
During the early post-medieval period the site was reused as a burial site for a short period.
The findings are presented in two reports:
Alexander Reid Preliminary Report Site A Volume.
Alexander Reid Preliminary Report Site D Volume 1.
Alexander Reid Preliminary Report Site D Volume 2.
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The excavation at Dundalk took place on Clanbrassil Street, Church Street, Bridge Street and Linenhall Street in Dundalk town centre. The medieval street surfaces were identified, along with medieval structures constructed of large masonry walls. One of these, in front of St Nicholas’ Church, was identified as the remains of a tower house depicted on this site on a map of the town of Dundalk in 1675. The remains of another medieval tower house, Howths Castle, was identified on Clanbrassil Street in front of the Diamond Buildings, and a medieval wooden building was excavated on Church Street. Very rich organic deposits were identified throughout the excavated areas, and contained very large amounts of animal bone and medieval pottery. The pottery is Dundalk Ware, and was particularly dense on Bridge Street not far from the location of a medieval pottery kiln excavated in 1997. A significant assemblage of late twelfth to early thirteenth century leather shoes, knife sheaths and a decorated leather scabbard was also recovered. Other artefacts included carved bone and wooden objects, metal objects, and a decorated slate inscribed with a mythical creature. High status 16th to 17th century drinking glasses were also recovered on Church Street, near the location of the tower house.
The preliminary report is available here.
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The report presents the results of an archaeological assessment at Fore Gaol, a ruined masonry structure in Fore, Westmeath. The report can be downloaded here.
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The Office of Public Works came across some unusual masonry features during conservation works at this 19th century barracks site. We conducted an archaeological assessment to discover what these were, and charted the fascinating evolution of the site and the other Military Road barracks.
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A substantial early medieval cemetery settlement site was identified to the west of Dunshaughlin in 2010. The central enclosure, including the burial ground, was preserved in situ. The remainder of the settlement was excavated in 2018 and 2019, which uncovered numerous associated ditched enclosures, a large iron production site, multiple cereal-drying kilns and a number of structures.
In the lower-lying lands to the south of the early medieval settlement a number of prehistoric features were uncovered including a cremation pyre site and cremation pit, a second possible pyre site, two fulacht fiadh sites, and two prehistoric pit clusters.
Post-excavation analysis of the site is ongoing, including an important analysis of the metallurgical waste from the iron production on the site.
The 15E125 Readsland preliminary report can be downloaded here and here.
15E125 Readsland preliminary report volume 2.
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Excavation of the Sally Port and other features of a dramatic medieval castle during OPW restoration works in 2006 by Giacometti for Arch-Tech Ltd. Down the full report here.
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An assessment of the heritage of holy wells in Kildare was conducted in 2021. The results of that assessment can be downloaded here.
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The Westmeath Graveyard Survey is an audit and gap survey, conducted by Archaeology Plan, of the existing records of historic graveyard in Westmeath to determine which graveyards have been recorded and the level of recording completed. It is the initial step of a Westmeath County Council project on the long-term project on the care, conservation and recording of historic graveyards in the county, with funding from the Heritage Council.
The report is available here.
The report appendices can be downloaded here.
Connaught
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A complex fulacht fiadh site was excavated at Knockaphunta, south of Castlebar, Co. Mayo in 2016. The site was used over an extended period of time from the Middle to Late Bronze Age. A water management system was uncovered along with four troughs, which were used sequentially.
The final report is available here.
Ulster
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A fulacht fiadh was excavated near the north edge of the floodplain of the River Finn in Stanorlar. A sub-rectangular trough was identified beneath the burnt spread along with a number of shallow cut features. The burnt mound appears to have compressed these features as it spread out over the soft surrounding subsoil. It is possible that some of the cut features represent additional pits associated with the fulacht fiadh, such as roasting pits, however it was possible to trace the lines of a potential structure. While the preservation was poor, a possible sub-rectangular structure with projecting porch may have been associated with the trough. The trough protruded from the side of the possible structure, perhaps to allow for the hot stones to be added for the exterior. Alternatively, the posts may relate to a fenceline defining a workspace to one side of the trough.
A small quantity of burnt and unburnt bone was retrieved from the burnt spread along with a large granite grinding stone. Post-excavation analysis and radiocarbon dating is underway.
The preliminary excavation report is available here.
Publications
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Giacometti, A. (2011) ‘A Prehistoric Ritual Landscape at Donacarney Great, Bettystown, Co. Meath’.
Excavation of an extensive archaeological landscape with Mesolithic artefacts, Neolithic structures, Beaker structures, Bronze Age structures, enclosures, field systems and fuluchta fiadh, and Iron Age ring barrow and Early Medieval field boundaries, structures and kilns.
Download the article here.
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Giacometti, A. (2019) Blackpitts: Dublin’s Medieval Leatherworking Quarter, in Medieval Dublin XVIII.
The article can be downloaded here.
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Giacometti, A. (2017) ‘Challenging the Archaeology of Decline in Late Medieval Callan’, in Old Kilkenny Review 69, 51-70. Kilkenny Archaeological Society.
Download the article here.
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Giacometti, A. Excavation on an early medieval landscape in Navan. Published in Ríocht na Midhe, Vol. 22, 2011, pp 43-59.
You can download the published article here.
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Giacometti, A. (2006) ‘Living in the Landscape’, in Archaeology Ireland 20(2), 36–9.
You can download the article here.
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Giacometti, A. (2018) ‘Rathfarnham Castle 2014 Excavations’, in Journal of Irish Archaeology, forthcoming.
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Giacometti, A. ‘Reconstructing the human landscape before, during and after the lifespan of a ringfort at Lusk, Co. Dublin’
Article published in Settlement in Early Medieval Ireland in the light of recent archaeological excavations (Eds. Corlett, C. & Potterton, M.) 2011, 157-168. Wordwell.
You can download the article here.
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Giacometti, A. 2019. In S. Duffy, ed.”Medieval Dublin XVII“. Four Courts Press, Dublin. pp.204–223.
The publication can be downloaded here.