Recent archaeological finds at Carrickmines Castle will not affect the routing of the South-Eastern Motorway in Dublin, the road developers said yesterday.
An Taisce has called for other options to be considered before the final section of the M50 is built through the medieval site in south Dublin. The National Roads Authority and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council have rejected this.
The significance of the castle site was not realised until the dig began almost two years ago. Up to 20,000 pieces of medieval pottery have been recovered, as well as coins, musket and cannon balls, weapons, human skeletons and medieval textiles. Early Christian cut stone, medieval wooden beams and leather shoes have also been discovered.
Archaeologists have found a well-preserved castle wall enclosing 1.5 acres of buildings, workshops, houses, kilns, wells and numerous ditches.
Carrickmines Castle served as a garrison fort to defend Dublin against raids by the O'Byrnes and O'Tooles of Wicklow. The dig was originally expected to last six months but will be running for two years when it finishes on August 30th. It is one of the largest excavation sites since Wood Quay, with an archaeological team of more than 100.
NRA spokesman Mr Michael Egan said the finishing date had been reviewed and August 30th was agreed by the site archaeologist and Dúchas. The South-Eastern Motorway is on target to be finished by the end of 2004.
