Enclosure in Shanganagh

Enclosure (AA1) in NW quadrant of development site in Shanganagh Park, Shankill, Dublin 8.  Archaeological testing was carried out in April 2019, the trenches targeted, geophysical anomalies and open green space c. 100m southeast and c. 250m south (Kavanagh 2019, Licence No. 19E0098). Testing revealed 17 areas of archaeological potential. These comprised a 32m diameter circular probable Bronze Age enclosure and external pits (AA1).  Further archaeological monitoring and excavation on this site took place from 2020–2022 revealing prehistoric and early medieval features (McGlade and Nevin 2022, Licence No. 20E0562).  A geophysical survey was undertaken to inform this assessment in July 2023 (Dowling 2023, Licence No. 23R0312). Several features of archaeological potential were identified including a number of enclosures, a ring-ditch and a possible early field system.  A large D-shaped enclosure labelled ‘anomaly 1’ was identified in the northwestern extant of the site. The enclosure measures 43m by 40m, a 3.3m gap to the northeast may represent the original entrance to the enclosure and a second gap 1.5m wide is seen to the southeast of the enclosure. A large pit-type anomaly overlaps the western boundary of the enclosure.  Archaeological testing was carried out over the course of 5 days from 18 September 2023 using a mechanical excavator fitted with a flat grading bucket. The trenches targeted a series of geophysical anomalies and open green space to fully investigate the archaeological potential of the site. Testing revealed five areas of archaeological significance, which have been designated as Archaeological Areas 1-5.  The report was undertaken by Paul Duffy of IAC Archaeology under Licence No. 23E0758.  AA1: a sub-circular enclosure c. 45m in external diameter and encircling several pits and smaller features. A large, sub-circular spread of dark soil with some charcoal inclusion was identified immediately to the south of this enclosure while a series of narrow linear features criss-crossing the area and were found to variously pre-and post-date the enclosure. These linear features form part of a field system, at least some of which might pre-date the enclosure, though further excavation would be required to confirm this. Finds of animal bone and struck flint from the enclosure and a fragment of struck flint with edge wear from one of the linear features (C71) present the only dateable material retrieved. A probable cereal drying kiln (C55) of indeterminate date was identified 25m southwest of the enclosure. It is likely that the large sub-circular enclosure C16 in AA1 as well as the field system (formed by C11, C49 and C71) and spread (C52) are of pre-historic date. The large enclosure containing a smaller enclosure (C76) finds parallel at Farrankelly, c. 10km to the south (Ní Cheallachaín 2020). Excavations at Cork Little c. 790m to the south provide a close parallel for many of the features identified during the archaeological assessment at Shanganagh (McGlade 2022). Here, a sub-circular enclosure measuring 32.2m by 26.6m internally and with an eastern causewayed entrance was excavated.  A similar causewayed entrance at C16 is suggested by the geophysical results. At Cork Little, the enclosure has been dated to the Late Bronze Age ad has been interpreted as being associated with nearby domestic activity (McGlade 2022). AA1, AA4 and AA5 will not be impacted upon by the redesigned proposed works.   Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Paul Duffy