When Archaeological Development Services Ltd surveyed the southern end of the development site in 2006, they identified four areas of potential archaeological interest. Only two yielded actual evidence of past human activity, both situated in the lower, wetter ground where people have gathered for thousands of years.

The more substantial discovery was a shell midden; essentially an ancient rubbish heap that tells us much about how our ancestors lived and what they ate. Though partly damaged by road construction, the surviving portion stretched 10 metres by 4.5 metres on the surface, with the intact section extending 11 metres and reaching nearly half a metre deep. Layer upon layer of oyster shells, both whole and fragmented, lay compacted within dark, charcoal stained soil, creating a detailed record of countless meals consumed at this spot. Rather than excavate further, the developers wisely chose to seal and rebury the midden, redesigning their plans to protect this window into the past.

The second area revealed something equally intriguing: a collection of overlapping pits filled with charcoal flecked soil, burnt earth, and fire cracked stones. Several worked flint tools emerged from these features, suggesting this flood plain served as a temporary campsite where prehistoric people stopped to cook and rest. The location makes perfect sense; close to water, relatively flat, and offering good visibility across the landscape. These modest finds, compiled by archaeologist Caimin O’Brien and documented in Bennett’s 2009 excavation bulletin, remind us that even the most unassuming patches of Irish countryside can harbour evidence of lives lived millennia ago.