The following projects represent my archaeological field experience across commercial excavations, archaeological monitoring, testing programmes and digital recording work throughout Ireland.
Trainee Archaeological Supervisor
For the past two months, I have been working as an Trainee Archaeological Supervisor on Phase 3 of a large-scale housing development in Ashbourne. I manage and supervise two members of the archaeological field team, allocate and coordinate day-to-day work, oversee excavation and recording standards, and ensure that work is completed accurately and consistently. The archaeology encountered during this phase has included approximately seven skeletons and two burnt spreads. My responsibilities have included the excavation, cleaning, interpretation and recording of these remains, while maintaining stratigraphic integrity and ensuring that all associated records are complete and suitable for inclusion in the project archive. I have digitally recorded the archaeological work throughout, including the use and maintenance of digital registers, digital field records and digital 3D scans. I am utilising the resulting 3D datasets to produce accurate, true-to-scale digital drawings of the excavated archaeology. This work combines field supervision, digital recording, archaeological interpretation, spatial accuracy, quality control and the preparation of clear digital outputs for the site record and reporting process.
Site Assistant – Halston Street, Dublin
Site assistant working on test excavation at Halston St, Dublin City. Supporting Site Director in testing, planning and photographing. Medieval deposits were identified beneath 18th-century building remains.
Site Assistant – Dunleer, Co. Louth
Site assistant working on a large-scale bailey site excavation in Dunleer, Co. Louth (project on hold). Worked as part of a field team in the identification and excavation of archaeological site features.
Site Assistant – Maynooth, Co. Kildare
Archaeological monitoring and testing associated with residential development. Assisted with the recording of archaeological features including burials, a ring ditch and burnt pit features.
Site Assistant – Malahide, Co. Dublin
Excavation and cleaning of a ring ditch prior to final recording and photography. Assisted with feature definition and archaeological documentation.
Site Assistant – Carton House, Co. Kildare
Archaeological monitoring of service installation works within the historic Carton House estate. Recorded archaeological deposits exposed during groundworks and ensured compliance with archaeological requirements.
Site Assistant – Kilmactalway, Co. Dublin
Worked on the excavation of a large Early Medieval cemetery comprising approximately 220 inhumations. Personally excavated approximately forty burials together with associated archaeological features. Responsibilities included excavation of articulated human remains, context recording, photography, planning, stratigraphic interpretation and completion of excavation records.
This project provided extensive experience in burial archaeology, cemetery excavation, human osteological recovery and archaeological recording within a large commercial excavation.
Site Assistant – Arbour Hill Prison, co. Dublin
Site Assistant working on the archaeological excavation of protected structure remains dating from the 1850s at Arbour Hill Prison complex, Dublin. Supported the Site Director in the cleaning, photography and recording of archaeological features identified during the course of excavation. Archaeology included structural foundations, including walls, drains and floors. Principal remains were left in situ and built over.
Site Assistant – Maynooth, Co. Kildare
Site Assistant working on a large-scale programme of testing for a residential development project in Maynooth, County Kildare. Supported the Site Director in the cleaning, photography and recording of archaeological features identified during the course of testing. Archaeology included pits, postholes and a variety of linear features.
Site Assistant – New Ross, Co. Wexford
Urban excavation within the historic town of New Ross, involving the excavation and recording of a medieval burgage plot and associated archaeological deposits.
Trainee Archaeologist – Ashbourne, Co. Meath
Trainee archaeologist employed on a large-scale residential housing project in Ashbourne, Co. Meath. This role involved working with a team of archaeologists on a multi-period excavation site. Main activities included cleaning, photography, planning and recording of archaeological features identified during the course of the excavation. The archaeological remains included a broad range of site types: two burnt mounds, two ring ditches, one ring barrow, an Early Medieval cemetery comprising approximately 40 inhumations, isolated cremation pits, and post-medieval remains including disused field systems, metalled surfaces and drains.