'High potential' for underground archaeology at planned carpark site for Laois landmark

Anomalies of potential archeological significance have been discovered at and around a proposed new carpark for visitors to the Rock of Dunamase. 

The anomalies were identified during geophysical surveys carried out in and around the planned carpark site at the historic Laois landmark in 2020.

Details of the survey are contained in tender documents issued by the council, which is seeking to hire a firm to carry out further investigations prior to construction of the carpark.   

The €200,000 contract has gone to tender thanks to the Just Transition Fund, Failte Ireland and Laois County Council. 

The council is looking to hire experts to carry out archaeological investigative works at the site of a proposed new carpark.

The Rock of Dunamase is a popular tourist attraction with a rich history. The fort commands a view of the surrounding countryside and was of strategic importance to rulers for centuries. It was attacked by vikings in 845 and was given as part of a dowry during the marriage of Strongbow to the King of Leinster, Diarmuid MacMurrough’s daughter Aoife in 1170.  

A report by Colm Flynn Archaeology accompanying the tender sets out the results of an archaeological monitoring of Geotechnical Site Investigation works that were carried out at the proposed development site in November of 2022. 

“The Rock of Dunamase is named after Masg (later changed to Masc), who was a local king, and grandson of Sedha Sithbhaic, King of Leinster in the first or second century,” Mr Flynn explained in his report. 

“Between the fourteenth and sixteenth century the Fort of Dunamase was subject to repeated attacks by Gaelic families. In the seventeenth century Cromwell’s army used cannon on the Fort,” he noted. 

Mr Flynn oversaw the digging of three trial holes at the proposed carpark sites in 2022. 

His report states that: “The proposed development area has a high potential for subterranean archaeology. The fact that the existing ground in the trial holes did not display any evidence of previous disturbance indicates that should subterranean archaeology be located within the development area, it may not be compromised by any subsequent groundworks, such as farming practices or drainage works. Archaeological monitoring of any further SI works is recommended.”

The Earthsound Geophysics report from 2020 accompanied the tender. “The surveys revealed a landscape which contains a large number of possible archaeological and agricultural anomalies,” it stated. 

“Land to the north and northeast of the Rock of Dunamase (area 1) contain a number of relict field divisions. In addition, a series of deposits, pits and ditches were detected which are likely to be archaeological in origin, possibly associated with habitation. These are located across the field indicating that the landscape may once have contained an extensive settlement, probably associated with the Rock of Dunamase,” Earthsound Geophysics reported. 

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Laois County Council is looking to hire someone to assess the archaeological significance of the proposed carpark site. 

The contract seeks “archaeological geophysical surveys, architectural heritage surveys, test excavations by hand and by machine and full manual excavations, and all analyses, conservation work, reporting, archiving and public dissemination work arising” from the site investigation.